Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities give seniors the help they need to age in place
Have you ever heard of a Naturally Occurring Retirement Community? You may not know it yet, but a few local communities and neighborhoods are already trying to get more organized around this excellent idea.
Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs) are self-help communities that started springing up in 1992 with the founding of Community Without Walls in Princeton, N.J. They are not a formal community, but occur naturally in neighborhoods in small cities and urban areas, and are not cohousing.
They offer a very popular alternative to moving into a senior living community, as the aim of a NORC is to keep seniors in their own home. A NORC “is a community that has a large proportion of residents over 60 but was not specifically planned or designed to meet the needs of seniors living independently in their homes,” according to Wikipedia.
Often started by grassroots elder activists, NORCs link seniors with other seniors and leverage the numbers so they can collectively provide the typical services seniors need. If seniors need help with minor repairs, a ride to the doctor, groceries or meal drop-off, the NORC can coordinate these services, often for a reduced price. Volunteers are a huge part of the success of these groups.
Some “villages,” as they like to be called, include coordinating health care as well. Larger NORCs often have a central office that will coordinate home care, access to a 24-hour-a-day emergency hotline, transportation and more. Typically, they form alliances with home health agencies, and other health care providers and vendors. Dues are associated with these communities and can vary from $25 a year to $750 a year for a couple, depending on the level of services offered.
While NORCs were first identified in urban settings, they can be found in communities large and small. They can be geographically defined by such boundaries as an entire apartment building, a neighborhood or a more rural setting over a large geographical area comprised of one- and two-family homes. Sometimes a NORC is not a physically connected location, but loosely organized around a church, synagogue or fraternal organizations.
As Gainesville attracts more and more seniors, and our existing neighborhoods age up, what can we do to encourage NORCs to flourish?
More from Star Bradbury:
HealthStreet connects community with resources to reduce disparities
A good death requires a willingness to communicate about end-of-life wishes
Pre-surgery screening helps protect brain health
NORC programs are generally supported by a combination of public and private funding. It could be a combination of government agencies, corporations and not-for-profit organizations. These core partners connect to many other stakeholders in a community — typically local businesses; civic, religious and cultural institutions; public and private funders; and local police and other public safety agencies.
The federal government has funded about 40 NORCs as the elder population is increasing so rapidly all over the United States. There is now a national organization called Community Without Walls whose mission is to “enhance the ability of members to age well and to be able to make choices that will permit us to age in place.”
By harnessing these resources for a common interest, NORC programs help to transform a community into a great place to grow older. There are some very famous NORCs such Boston’s Beacon Hill Village. Founded in 1999, it is recognized as one of the nation’s oldest and most successful NORC’s. I highly encourage you to visit their website, www.beaconhillvillage.org to get an idea of just how these communities can work.
It reminds me of a top-notch Life Care community without a high entry fee or having to move! Larger communities often have group fitness classes, lectures, educational opportunities, social groups, travel groups, group transportation to art and cultural events, and more.
NORCs allow our elders to age in place safely with the help they need. With the national staff shortages in all health care settings, the effects of the pandemic on long term care, NORCs are one of our best solutions to offering affordable coordinated care where the cost of services is shared or subsidized. Offering community-based services keeps our elders independent longer and out of expensive care facilities that many can’t afford.
Doesn’t it make sense for government agencies and businesses to do what they can to make this model work? While our city government is looking at affordable housing options, please let’s keep our elders in mind and do what we can to help them age successfully.
Star Bradbury (www.starbradbury.com) is the owner of Senior Living Strategies in Gainesville.
Join the conversation
Share your opinions by sending a letter to the editor (up to 200 words) to letters@gainesville.com. Letters must include the writer's full name and city of residence. Additional guidelines for submitting letters and longer guest columns can be found at bit.ly/sunopinionguidelines.
Journalism matters. Your support matters.
Get a digital subscription to the Gainesville Sun. Includes must-see content on Gainesville.com and Gatorsports.com, breaking news and updates on all your devices, and access to the eEdition. Visit www.gainesville.com/subscribenow to sign up.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Star Bradbury: Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities help seniors
