How Can We Support the Aging and Elderly? An Interview with Andrew Gaines

Today, SevenPonds speaks with Andrew Gaines, Executive Director for Ashby Village, a community and volunteer organization for the elderly or aging in Berkeley, CA. After serving as Executive Director for Earthdance in the 1990’s, Andrew guided the development of several multi-family residential communities in North Carolina and has received certification as an administrator for Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly. He has worked in several Assisted Living and Nursing Homes and is also trained as a mediator, facilitator and dance/movement therapy practitioner. Today he speaks with us about community, volunteering, and the end of life experiences surrounding his work at Ashby Village.

Andrew Gaines

Christopher: What is Ashby Village?

Andrew: We’re an organization helping to create a network of people who hope to age independently but with the support of a community. We have about 275 members and 200 volunteers, half of whom are also members. The idea is a recent development—the first village started about 10 years and now there are currently 120 villages in operation in this country. Now people are living longer and don’t want to move out of their homes; they want to engage.

Christopher: What kind of services do you provide?

Andrew: Several types, including volunteer assistance for people who need help with transportation, home repair, gardening, dog walking, etc. We also have a large pool of vetted, discounted service providers who do everything from plumbing and electrical to home care. But perhaps the most important support is about involvement. We have a wide variety of ways for people to stay connected with a community—social, cultural, and educational events, and neighborhood groups and interest groups, such as poetry or painting.

Christopher: How do people learn about or get it touch with Ashby Village if, for example, they don’t have a computer?

Andrew: We typically have what we call “Living Room Chats” once or twice a month. They’re held at a member’s or prospective member’s home, and speakers from our board or from the Ashby village community present. It becomes a lively conversation about the types of services we provide, the village, aging, and community. People can also just call the office; we can send some materials in the mail.

“Now people are living longer and don’t want to move out of their homes; they want to be engaged.”

Christopher: Are there many young volunteers? Do you see community building between generations?

Andrew: Very much so. We’re committed to being a multi-generational village. We have a lot of students from UC Berkeley, as well as a lot of people transitioning between jobs and looking for experience in the field of aging. We have retirees, single moms, and recently initiated a partnership with the East Bay School for Boys to provide educational opportunities for teenage boys. They are working with our technical training program, providing mentorship to our members with iPhones, iPads and online communication.

Members from the Ashby Village community

Christopher: What is the experience like for volunteers?

Andrew: We want the volunteering experience to be something that really works for our volunteers—something they’d be excited to do. Our fundamental precept is that if it’s not something that will rock your boat, just say no. But if you’re excited to meet someone or engage with a community in a particular way, we’re happy to have you. That sort of ethic is what makes the village a joyful place to be.

“We’re committed to being a multi-generational village.”

Christopher: Could you share a story from your time at Ashby Village?

Andrew: In one of my first experiences here, a man’s wife was hit by a car and ended up in the hospital, where Ashby Village volunteers assisted her and continued to do so even after she went home. But then she passed away. Some of our volunteers with grief counseling experience were there to guide her husband through finding a memorial, writing the obituary, and then creating the memorial celebration. It was a very beautiful and supportive experience. Overall, there is a real interest in our community in exploring different ways to perceive death; we don’t want the subject to be locked behind a closed door of fear.

Christopher: Is there anything else you’d like the reader to know?

“…if you’re excited to meet someone or engage with a community in a particular way, we’re happy to have you. That sort of ethic is what makes the village a joyful place to be.”

Andrew: Yes, life is a transition as we’re looking to vitalize the latter transitions of life. Death is part of that, and we believe there are ways for its presence to enrich our experiences.

Christopher: Thank you for speaking with us today, Andrew.

Andrew: Of course!

More on community and aging from SevenPonds:

• Senior Citizens Can Stay at Home with the Aid of “Villages”
• How Do We View Aging in Our Society? An Interview with Dr. William Thomas
• Contemporary Trends in the Lives of the Elderly