About Our Village
Seaglass Village, which opened December 1, 2021, is a community of seniors in Marblehead, Nahant, and Swampscott helping each other maintain their independence. Our mission is to reimagine aging and community for older adults by supporting independent living in the places we call home. Our volunteers and members come together for events and celebrations, building new friendships, and supporting each other through the journey of getting older.
We operate according to five core values:
- Community—using a member-driven mindset of developing strong internal Village relationships and external community relationships
- Inclusiveness—welcoming members of diverse cultures, faiths, genders, orientations, and abilities
- Mutual care—supporting and caring for each other
- Service—providing necessary services, enjoyable activities, and outside referrals to enable our members to age happily and safely in place
- Sustainability—managing the organization with fiscal responsibility and discipline
View a printable brochure
View our 2023–2024 annual report
How We Began
The Swampscott for all Ages Community Needs Assessment of 2019 recommended establishing a regional Village to meet the need for coordinated, affordable aging-in-place services for older adults. It was clear that the conclusions of Swampscott's report were applicable to the neighboring communities. In June of 2020 a steering committee was formed with residents of Marblehead and Swampscott to begin work on our very own Village. By the end of September 2020 we had created the framework for the Seaglass Village, basing it on similar Villages elsewhere in the country, and elected a Board of Directors.
The abstract of that report states:
By the year 2030, 35% of Swampscott residents will be age 60 and older. In response to this demographic shift as well as in response to the desire of most residents to remain living in their community, the resident leaders of Swampscott, with support of the Town, have embarked on the journey to become a more age friendly community. They call themselves the Swampscott for All Ages Committee. The Swampscott for All Ages initiative is meant to ensure that Swampscott is and remains a place where older adults can comfortably and safely age in place. It is a resident-led committee with strong municipal support. This report describes research undertaken by the Center for Social & Demographic Research on Aging within the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston, on behalf of the Swampscott for All Ages Committee and the Town of Swampscott, to investigate the needs, interests, preferences, and opinions of Swampscott’s residents age 60 and older. Structured around livability principles embedded in the World Health Organization’s Age Friendly Community framework, the Swampscott for All Ages initiative considers physical infrastructure as well as social and service environments as it seeks to strengthen livability for Swampscott’s older residents. The contents of this report are designed to inform the Swampscott for All Ages Committee as it develops a plan for action to address the needs identified; and also intersect with and advise other ongoing efforts, including the development of the Swampscott Master Plan. This work also aligns with Governor Baker’s plan for an Age Friendly State.
Coyle, Caitlin; Mutchler, Jan; Velasco, Nidya; Berger, Sue; and Mailman, Rebecca, "Swampscott for All Ages: A Community Needs Assessment" (2019). Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications. 38.
View the full Swampscott report
The Village Movement
Seaglass Village was inspired by the Village Movement, which recognizes that older people want to remain in their homes, even though some errands, chores, and an active social life become harder as they age. For some, as daily life becomes a bit more difficult, the solution might be moving to a retirement or assisted-living community or hiring caregivers. For others, the solution can be a Village, which helps seniors live purposely, independently, safely, and socially in their own homes.
The very first Village—Beacon Hill Village—began in Boston more than 20 years ago, built on the Idea that together we grow stronger. Today there are more than 350 Villages in a Village to Village Network, all working collaboratively with other local resources. We are a proud member of that network and were honored to have founder Heidi Whear make a presentation at the national Village to Village Conference in October 2019 about the relationship of Seaglass Village and the Swampscott for All Ages Town Initiative within AARP's Age Friendly Movement.
More information about the Village to Village Network