In mid-2007 a small group of longtime Newton residents met to discuss the creation of a community support system that would enable them and others to remain in their Newton homes as they grow older.

“Aging in place,” as this concept is generally known, allows older residents in a community to stay in their own homes with easy access to outside support, social activities, programs, and services. Boston’s Beacon Hill Village was the first membership-based organization in the nation to construct a viable formula to answer the needs of an aging population with a strong desire to remain at home. As new “villages” are established throughout the country, each develops a model to suit its own community.

As Newton at Home (NAH) has taken shape, it has attracted support and interest from a wide range of Newton residents from neighborhoods all over the city. More than 150 households have joined our mailing list and are receiving periodic updates on our progress.

A core group of activists is hard at work researching existing services in Newton, exploring a range of comparable aging-in-place villages both locally and across the country, analyzing the results of an online survey done in conjunction with the city’s Department of Senior Services and numerous telephone interviews with Newton residents, and beginning to develop partnerships with key Newton agencies, community organizations, and service providers.

We are confident that Newton is an ideal setting for an aging-in-place organization. It is a city with a strongly developed sense of community, a tradition of volunteerism, and residents who are committed to remaining in charge of their lives. In addition, Newton contains among its citizens the rich pool of talent and experience necessary to create such an organization.

What NAH Will Offer

• One central phone number to call for information, counseling, and contacts for an array of programs and services
• Access to a list of approved volunteers who can provide many of the services you need
• Information and referral to a range of screened vendors and service providers
• City-wide and neighborhood-based social, cultural, and educational activities and excursions that bring people together
• Special relationships with strategic partners in the community who have proven expertise in the field of aging
• The opportunity to be part of a community of like-minded and supportive neighbors

To find out more about the services NAH plans to provide, click here.

Membership and Costs

Membership in NAH will be open to any Newton household with a resident aged 60 or older. Our Member Services Committee is analyzing data to determine the appropriate balance of included services and membership fees to support a financially viable NAH organization.  For more information on projected fees and services, click here.

Strong Volunteer Component

NAH expects to operate with one paid professional staff member supported by a strong cadre of volunteers, both members and nonmembers, who are committed to building and supporting this community. Volunteers will perform many of the tasks that NAH members request--for example, driving, helping with grocery shopping, or providing computer support--as well as supporting the organization operationally by working in the office or offering exercise, cultural, or educational programs. To find out more about volunteering for NAH, click here.

Hand-Picked Vendors

NAH expects to find and evaluate a wide range of vendors who, for a fee, can provide services needed by our members. Where applicable, NAH will seek to negotiate member discounts for these services. NAH will follow up with members to maintain ongoing feedback on the quality, cost, and timeliness of the vendor-provided services.

Community Collaboration and Strategic Partners

In tandem with exploring and comparing models developed by other villages, leaders of NAH have met and spoken with representatives from a number of public and private agencies that serve Newton’s older residents, including the Newton Council on Aging, Newton Senior Center, Discovering What’s Next, SOAR55, HouseWorks, Visiting Angels, Springwell, Senior Citizen Fund of Newton, and the Newton Community Service Center, all of whom have expressed strong support for NAH. NAH is committed to collaborating with Newton agencies that already serve residents over 60 years old, as well as to developing strategic partnerships with other key stakeholders in the city.

Board and Committee Structure

NAH incorporated as a membership-based nonprofit corporation in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in February 2009. The organization is now governed by a Board of Directors, which has established a set of committees to enable NAH to conduct the planning and preparation required before NAH can formally launch operations. To see a list of Board members, click here.

To view an article about NAH in the Newton TAB, click here.