Looking back, I was always the person who liked to join groups, who much preferred team sports and who was happier with groups of friends rather than the best friend forever. The Village to Village organization was brought to my attention when I was setting up the televised programs/meetings of the Thousand Oaks Council on Aging, so it seemed a natural evolution of my interest in seniors. I have discovered that as we are now isolated within our own homes during the time of Covid-19, a Village can be a critical lifeline to the community.
Villages are member driven, grassroots, nonprofits intended to assist and enrich the lives of seniors who choose to remain in their own homes as they age. The Village model is operated primarily by volunteers (many of whom are themselves members), and some have paid administrative staff. The goals include providing volunteer services such as driving, helping with home repairs and gardening, assisting with shopping and providing social, educational and wellness activities/events. The most important aspect of Villages seemed to be their positive impact on isolation and loneliness, two of the biggest issues many seniors face after retirement.
Our City had a rapidly growing senior population, with many having no immediate family members in the area, so this model seemed like a possible good fit for us. We set up a panel of Village administrators from Villages in San Francisco, Santa Monica and Claremont. Our usual monthly meeting attendees barely filled our small Council room. With minimal pre-meeting publicity, the meeting about the potential of creating a Village in our community filled two meeting rooms, and the overflow was seated in our small theater. The interest was immediate, but it took time to find people willing to undertake the huge task of setting up a nonprofit with its unexciting necessities like bylaws, organizational structure and of course insurance.
We were fortunate to find a group who took on the initial setup and launched our very own Conejo Valley Village three years ago. Since the opening of our Village, more wonderful volunteers have stepped up to take on Board positions and manage the many committees (Events, Membership, Volunteers, Call Managers) that make CVV the vibrant organization it is today.
Way before Covid-19 hit our world, many members shared how much CVV has meant to them. There are multiple events every week, including happy hours at local restaurants, potlucks, movies, plays, card games, outdoor hikes, indoor mall walks and whatever events in which our members express interest. I have heard members say many times how important it is to have a feeling of being connected, knowing that there are people nearby whom they can call on in an emergency or just to talk with someone who understands their situation. Members who say they rarely went out socially before, now attend most of CVV’s events.
CVV has grown quickly and has provided us with so many things to do. Then, as winter was ready to leave and a beautiful spring was coming, Covid-19 moved into our area. What could a group intended to help seniors avoid isolation by providing group activities and personal contact possibly do in this period of forced isolation??
Our volunteer activities such as driving, home help, and our many in-person events/activities had to stop due to the California Stay at Home orders. I give full credit to the wonderful CVV Board who came up with and initiated programs that have gone a long way toward filling in the blanks for our members. The Board taught willing event leaders how to become Zoom hosts and members were given written instructions on zooming as well as over the phone help as needed to get started. This was a big endeavor for all involved. Within weeks almost all group gatherings were switched to Zoom including our Joy of Journaling, the Man Cave Discussion Group, the Widows’ Support Group, the Enriching Hour, Coffee and Conversation and the Monthly Book Club. They all translated amazingly well to Zoom. Of course it was harder to duplicate the potlucks, the frequent happy hours, plays and movies. Virtual wine tastings, bring-a-joke happy hours, watching and discussing a Ted Talk with other members, viewing travel photos, connecting with CVV friends and meetings to update seniors on local Covid-19 news and available services were new additions and easily accommodated on Zoom.
One of the biggest benefits of membership in a Village is keeping in touch with others at get togethers and meetings. CVV has always had a daily call program for members who wanted to be contacted on a regular basis. Because Covid-19 presented so many additional challenges for seniors, this was extended to having volunteers and members in contact with each other several times a week or daily if requested.
After weeks of self-isolation, days can begin to seem very long with nothing to break up the time. Zoom events and phone calls can never replace the good times shared with old and new friends in your Village. On a personal basis, I have really come to look forward to the times I get to actually “see” and discuss the day’s happenings with friends from our Conejo Valley Village. I also feel comfortable knowing that someone will be contacting me or I will be contacting another member frequently during this difficult period. My membership in Conejo Valley Village has made a big positive difference in my life during Covid-19. I hope that whenever we get back to possibly a new normal, I will remember these times and cherish the freedoms we have that are so easily taken for granted.