Maplewood Senior Living has finished construction on its two senior living communities in East Norwalk and Darien.
The new construction brings Maplewood”™s senior living communities in Fairfield County to a total of five locations. The Westport-based company started six years ago.
“We”™re excited to bring more product to the market,” said Gregory Smith, Maplewood CEO. “The supply in Fairfield County has been really limited.”
Despite the weak real estate market, senior housing has performed well nationwide through the recession but growth has slowed considerably, especially in comparison to how fast the baby boomer generation is getting older.
The number of people over 65 years old is projected to double to 70 million people by 2030, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
“We”™re continuing to see a pent-up demand for traditional assisted living and also over in the memory care (communities),” Smith said. “The need for what we provide ”“ by way of services and care ”“ is growing.”
In the late 1990s, about 55,000 new senior housing units/beds opened every year in the U.S., but in 2010 fewer than 14,000 opened, according to data from the American Seniors Housing Association.
Though the company has been expanding quickly, Smith said Maplewood is growing at both a steady and responsive rate.
“It”™s a fundamental shift in the demographics that”™s creating the supply,” Smith said. “I think we”™re in a good position. We”™ve developed an organization that focuses on care and putting our residents first. They need to be.”
In addition to its two new openings, the company plans to begin developing four to six additional projects in Westchester County, N.Y. and throughout Connecticut within the next 12 to 18 months.
Maplewood at Strawberry Hill in East Norwalk has 84 units and Maplewood at Darien has 66 units. The current starting rent prices range from $5,250 to $9,250 per month, depending on the location, room size and level of services needed.
The average cost of assisted living in Connecticut is $4,475, according to Seniorhomes.com.
Each of Maplewood”™s residences has assisted living, memory care and respite care services. Respite care is short-term stays for residents when families need extra help.
Additionally, Maplewood offers 24/7 care, a fairly unique service. Prior to offering all-day care, 32 percent of Maplewood”™s residents admitted to a hospital were sent back home because of a false alarm. Now only 5 percent of residents are sent back, reducing a large amount of emotional trauma and stress related to going to the hospital for both residents and their families.
Emotional health is a key priority to Maplewood, said Mary Underwood, corporate director of memory care services.
“Residents want their independence; they want to feel like they still have a purpose,” Underwood said. “So many times we focus on the concrete things, like meals and programs ”¦ but it really is looking at the human beings that they are and giving them their plan of care and what they need.”
