Lasell Village is a not for profit senior housing community located just outside Boston in Newton, Massachusetts. Two hundred and twenty five older adults reside in the Village, which was built on the Lasell College campus to facilitate intergenerational learning. The Village offers a continuum of care that includes independent retirement living, support services, short term rehabilitation, long term care and lifelong learning.

In this interview, Anne Doyle, Lasell Village’s president and the vice president of Lasell College, describes the unique synergies between Lasell College and the senior living community. William Dill, a resident of Lasell Village, also shares his experiences living in the Village and participating in the intergenerational learning opportunities available to residents. The educational and intergenerational opportunities, along with the commitment of the residents to lifelong learning, draw many residents with academic, clinical, artistic, and professional backgrounds.

Lassel Village represents the avant-garde approach to designing senior housing communities. It lets people enjoy their retirement with a focus of learning as a style of living. It sets a good example for other senior housing communities, demonstrating that mental stimulation is as important to wellbeing as physical health.