A Village For the Elders

Many members are longtime Hill residents who were active in a babysitting co-op in the 1960s and '70s and in other causes over the years, so they have experience working together.

"I thought, 'Gee, if we're all going to be here, let's see what we can do to make it possible to stay in our own homes,' " said Larry Molumby, 74, the group's treasurer.

Member Bill Matuszeski, 65, just helped his 71-year-old sister move into a retirement home and doesn't want to do the same himself. "These places are usually located out in the middle of nowhere where it is hard to walk to places. People say, 'I like to walk around the grounds,' and that just doesn't do it," he said.

Matuszeski's wife, Mary Procter, 65, said, "If the community can give each other a sense of mutual support, and people . . . can volunteer . . . the community will be there when we need it. If one of us gets widowed, we will definitely need it. If one of us becomes disabled, we will definitely need it. We are helping form a community now so we won't have to leave later."

Beacon Hill Village has sold its founder's manual to about 300 groups nationwide and has consulted with 50 or 60 groups, according to Executive Director Judy Willett. The model can be adapted to any suburban or rural area, she said, but most of the groups are in cities.

Other communities in the Washington area have also looked at the Beacon Hill project; some have met under the auspices of AARP's D.C. office. The Palisades area has a few people who are hoping to organize a village model adapted to the single-family homes there.

Some residents of the McLean Gardens condominium complex in Northwest ordered the how-to manual from Beacon Hill Village and are thinking about tailoring the idea to a complex that already offers maintenance and other services. Concerns include a monitoring system for people with health issues, but again, one of the appealing aspects is that the building houses people of all ages, one resident said.

There's a group at the Watergate, too, although its spokeswoman wouldn't discuss details. The Palisades and McLean Gardens groups haven't incorporated yet.

Capitol Hill Village has defined an area from I Street SE to H Street NE, and from Second Street to 19th Street SE and NE, that houses about 36,000 people, some 10,000 of whom are 50 or older, according to 2006 data from San Diego-based Claritas.

The group has raised nearly $115,000 in donations or pledges. Nearly 30 people have paid for the first two years of membership, and the group is searching for a director and office space. (There's already a Web site, http://www.chvdc.org.) Memberships cost $500 per individual and $750 per household annually. The group is seeking funding to subsidize memberships for those who can't afford that much.

Membership costs less than moving to a nursing home or assisted living facility. The average daily rate for a private nursing home in Washington is $260 per day, and the average monthly cost of an assisted living facility is $4,154 per month, according to 2006 market surveys conducted by MetLife. The average hourly rate for a home health aide is $20; for a homemaker, $17.

"The real question is, what is the value of having one number to call for repair, transportation and other services? You have to decide what is the value to you of the village social events, seminars, tutorials and so forth," said Norman Metzger, vice president of Capitol Hill Village.