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Aging in Place
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Most Americans prefer to stay in their own home as they get older rather than move into an assisted living facility or a “retirement community.” Staying in their own home allows people to maintain their connections to their communities and friends, permits them to retain medical professionals who know their medical history, and gives them the comfort and security of familiar surroundings, streets, and stores. There are several models of, or ways of organizing, supportive intentional communities, providing some combination of social support, health care, and home maintenance services. The choice of model depends on the needs and resources of each community. |
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Potential for AIP Initiatives in Westchester |
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Westchester has abundant resources: medical providers, wonderful libraries, a proactive County government with a model Department of Senior Programs and Services, a wide range of community organizations, numerous educational and cultural institutions – all the building blocks for a broad service and program offerings. There are over 167,000 people age 60 and over in Westchester (2000 census), 18% of the population. The county has the potential for at least 30 grassroots aging in place intiatiatives. |
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What do AIP Projects do for the Community? |
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While we oftern focus on the benefits of aging in place to the individual, there are also benefits to the community-at-large. Aging in place also can delay the need for additional, more expensive, and possibly publicly-funded elder services, create opportunities for small business creation to serve the needs of elders in their homes, create opportunities for volunteerism, and create opportunities for intergenerational contact.
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