Communities for older adults who want to "age in place"

According to AARP, nine out of ten Americans hope to live out their days in their own homes. But as they age, many are faced with a dilemma: They want to remain independent but need at least some of the support that a retirement community offers. Across the country, innovative new programs are springing up to bridge this gap by offering the support that would normally come with assisted living or even a nursing home while allowing older adults to remain in their community.

These programs run the gamut from informal neighborhood associations to more organized programs coordinated by community agencies to federally funded demonstration projects.

While the options may seem complex, the underlying principle is simplicity itself: Caring for older adults, like caring for children, makes a lot more sense when we do it as a community. If an older family member or friend is committed to "aging in place" (a term for those who consciously choose to grow old at home rather than moving to a retirement community), it's worth exploring such programs and finding out whether they exist in his area, or what it would take to start one.