Sunrise Senior Living, a provider of assisted living and senior housing residences, is expanding in Fairfield County with the upcoming openings of new communities in Fairfield and Wilton.
Sunrise of Fairfield will cover more than 66,000 square feet and house 83 units. Sunrise of Wilton will cover more than 75,000 square feet and house 90 units. The new facilities will join a pair of Stamford locations as Sunrise Senior Living”™s Connecticut presence.
There are more than 325 Sunrise Senior Living communities throughout the U.S., Canada and the U.K. According to April Johnson, vice president of operations, the company seeks out markets where there is a need for this level of senior housing.
“When we look for projects, we want to look for the area where there is opportunity,” she said. “We have a development team that sees where the opportunity is, and we felt the Fairfield and Wilton area was the perfect place to fit our footprint.”
Johnson noted the new facilities will be divided between assisted living and memory care, with approximately 25% to 30% of patients requiring the latter assistance. Each location will provide a mix of studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units, along with a 24/7 support staff.
“We make sure we have a nurse and a care manager around the clock,” Johnson continued. “We have managers on duty here seven days a week. We are bringing about 100 to 150 jobs to the market at both locations.”
In Fairfield, the facility is being constructed at a site that was previously an assemblage of a residence and a long-defunct synagogue, while the Wilton site is being built on land that formerly housed a garden center. Johnson stated both locations are set to open later in the fall, but she added the company would not commit to a preset opening day.
“We know how construction can happen with weather and such,” she said.
Within each facility, the team is at work creating a design style where neutral colors offer a sense of serenity. The hallways, common area and dining rooms look more like something from a hotel than a health care-focused institution. In each apartment, subtle touches make it easier for the physical needs of many residents, including lights that turn on automatically upon entering the unit and sliding doors that can be opened and closed with a slight finger flick.
“When Sunrise opened 35 years ago, it was all about the peaceful, homelike feeling,” said Johnson. “No matter where you are in the building, you feel that.”
Johnson pointed out that members of both communities have stopped by to inquire about the progress of the buildings.
“It is a natural curiosity,” she said. “When there is a building going up in the area, people knock on the door and ask what is going on.”
Sunrise has been holding conversations with potential residents who are familiar with the company”™s reputation.
“We”™re not new to it,” Johnson said. “This is a place where you can move in and not send you anywhere else. We are not sending you to a private caregiver. We always have individualized care to meet everyone”™s need.”
At the moment, Fairfield and Wilton are the company”™s only planned locations in the state. But Johnson said there is the potential for additional facilities in the future.
