Beacon Hill Village, the Boston program that created
neighborhoodsupportfortheagedtostayintheirhomes,
andshewasinspired.TheCohnsgotagroupoffriends
together,andin 2009 theyformedAthensVillageonthe
same model. They calculated that, if they could get
seventy-fivepeopletopayfourhundreddollarsperyear,
itwouldbeenoughtoestablishtheessentialservices.A
hundredpeoplesignedup,andAthensVillagewasunder
way.
One of the first people theyhired was a wonderfully
friendlyhandyman.Hewaswillingto helppeoplewith
all the mundane household matters that you take for
granted when you’re able but that become critical to
surviving in your home when you’re not—fixing a
brokenlock,changingalightbulb,sortingoutwhattodo
about a broken water heater.
“Hecoulddoalmostanything.Peoplewhojoinedfeltthe
maintenance guy alone was worth the four hundred
dollars,” Margaret said.
Theyalsohiredapart-timedirector.Shecheckedupon
peopleandpulledtogethervolunteerswhocouldstopby
ifthepowerwasoutorsomeoneneededacasserole.A
localvisitingnurseagencyprovidedfreeofficespaceand
a member discount onnursing aide costs. Church and
civic organizations provideda daily van transportation
serviceandmeals-on-wheelsformemberswhoneededit.
Bitbybit,AthensVillagebuiltservicesandacommunity
that could ensure that members were not left flailing
whentheirdifficulties mounted.Itcame nota moment
toosoonfortheCohns.Ayearafterthey’dfoundedit,
Margaret took a fall that put her permanently in a