Concern about declining levels of volunteering—reported in Axios, December 19,2023; key excerpt:

The share of Americans who give time to soup kitchens, homeless shelters and food pantries is declining…23% of Americans…volunteered in 2021, per the latest census data. That was the lowest share since tracking began in the early 2000s, The Washington Post reports. Nonprofits of all sizes and purposes are in dire need of volunteers — especially during the holidays and winter months. Shelters, mentoring programs and food pantries are shuttering due to the dwindling pool of helpers. Levels of volunteering haven't bounced back from the lows of the pandemic, when lockdowns kept people away.

 … we’re witnessing the spread of a new life stage. In the 21st century, another new phase is developing, between the career phase and senescence. People are living longer lives…If these…programs can help older people figure out what a fulfilling life looks like when work and career are no longer in the center, then maybe they’ll have some lessons for the rest of us…Most revolutions come from the young. Is it possible that the one we need now will be driven by the old?

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Modern Elder Academy hosted an online session entitled “The Power of Reinvention” on July 12, 2023, featuring Chip Conley and Joanne Lipman. They explored the skills and mindsets needed for reinvention, discussing how it can manifest in our lives and the transformative role of struggle. They also addressed midlife changes and Ms. Lipman’s four stages of the Reinvention Roadmap: search, struggle, stop, and solution. Joanne Lipman is the author of Next! The Power of Reinvention in Life and Work. Chip Conley is the founder of MEA. 

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As the world emerges from the pandemic, people are 'looking for ways to connect on their own terms — in their own homes, in their own community,' OneTable CEO Aliza Kline said.

For years, the organization has served people ages 21-39 by offering them a platform to connect, funding to host dinners and resources such as recipes, invitations and Jewish religious resources. Now, the organization is expanding: In response to the loneliness many empty nesters feel when their children no longer live with them, OneTable plans to offer a platform for older adults, too.

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In this in-depth article in the CCAR Journal (Fall 2021) entitled Disruption: Lifespan, Rabbi Beth Lieberman examines the rationale for the villages model and why it can be a timely response to the challenges facing us as we age—and facing our synagogue communities at the same time.

This article in eJewishPhilanthropy explores the villages model as a way to keep Boomers and others connected to their synagogue communities. As Rabbi Beth Lieberman writes, “...synagogue-based villages...harmonize congregational life with our new longevity. We are already seeing it begin to reshape our lives and the lives of the next generations. By placing faith in these villages, we all – Boomers and synagogue leaders – anchor the present in a plan for future growth, one that helps synagogue communities to be truly inclusive of all generations.