Older adults used to depend on “extended family” when they needed help. The Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance, represented by Drs. Aaron Brill, Vanderbilt, and Ruth Garrett, Meharry, are initiating an “extended neighborhood” model to make “aging in place” possible for those who desire it.   The Temple Hills Community Without Walls is a non-profit membership organization dedicated to enhancing the lives of people over age 65 in Nashville. This model is community-based for residents who want to grow old in their homes/neighborhoods, but with ready access to reliable help when needed.   Based on the Princeton University plan as a guide, our first target is the Temple Hills Community in Bellevue. The Princeton group began in 2000 with 250 members organized in Houses or Chapters.  Their philosophy includes statements such as, “the problem of aging today is not just one of providing protection and care but of the involvement and participation of the elderly.”  For information on the Princeton model visit http://www.princetonol.com/groups/cww/.

Members will contribute a very small fee of about $30 annually, and will offer volunteer services, as they are able.  For those services not provided by members, there will be single point information and referrals for household tasks, home repair, caterers, etc. Surveys are presently being distributed for the first responses to memberships, needs, and suggestions.