A warm, safe all-inclusive independent living community
By Lauren Schiffman, Contributing Writer
Photo/submitted
Maynard – Situated near a currently-under construction shopping center, Camellia Gardens in Maynard is all about location, location, location. With a Market Basket grocery store, banks, an urgent care center, restaurants, shops, beauty and fitness options footsteps away from the entrance, “there’s no other community like us in this area,” says Cynthia, Marketing Manager for the all-inclusive independent living community.
While the shopping center provides conveniences just outside of their apartments, residents can also enjoy the community’s private, serene backyard, which boasts 10 raised garden beds, a fire pit and an inviting pergola perfect for outdoor events and get-togethers.
Managed by Hawthorn Senior Living, Camellia Gardens opened mid-June as a safe, healthy and active model for living. With no buy-in fees and no long term lease, Camellia Gardens offers a simple month-to-month rental. Residents pay a flat monthly fee that includes utilities; cable television; weekly housekeeping and linen service; and local transportation for medical appointments, outings, errands and shopping.
Using fresh herbs from the resident-tended garden, Camellia Gardens’ chef prepares three daily meals cooked from scratch; very little is served out of a can or a box. “If a resident is eating mashed potatoes, the kitchen staff has peeled 500 potatoes,” Cynthia said.
Residents may also take advantage of the many amenities offered at Camellia Gardens: a beauty/barber shop; a cozy library adorned with a double-sided fireplace; a game room with poker and pool tables; state-of-the art movie theater with stadium seats, where residents can watch movies, TV, lectures and concerts. An on-site fitness center, chapel and an impressive outdoor veranda with beautiful views of the landscapes and woods rounds out the ways in which residents can spend their time in their community.
As an additional service, Camellia Gardens offers optional home care services through Home Care Solutions, which occupies a first-floor office. Residents and their family members can conveniently consult with one of the home care professionals about providing additional care, which includes physical and occupational therapies and personal care services like medication reminders, errands, escorts and laundry.
“Residents have the best of both worlds” says Cynthia. “They’re able to stay in a vibrant, active environment as they safely age in place.”
A four-floor community, Camellia Gardens boasts two elevators and 143 apartments. Studio apartments measure between 388-square-feet to 550-square-feet; one bedroom apartments between 482-square-feet and-934 square-feet; and two-bedroom apartments range from 934-square-feet to 1,083-square-feet.
Cynthia said that there’s “really good energy flowing through the community” due in part to its open floor plan and abundance of windows and ample natural light. Hallways and doorways are wider than standard and all common area furnishings are hand-picked for resident safety, comfort and ease. Walk-in showers have safety bars and pull cords installed in the event of emergency.
Emergency availability is key and partially highlights the community’s “greatest asset:” Camellia Gardens’ live-in managers. They go above and beyond. They live in the community with the residents, they eat with the residents, and their office is open and welcome to residents and family members seven days a week. They even personally pour the coffee and tea for every resident at every meal to deepen their relationships.
The 90 residents who currently live at Camellia Gardens each received a COVID-19 test upon move-in. All local, Massachusetts and CDC guidelines are honored and strictly enforced to prevent COVID from entering the building. Cynthia said that some residents have commented that they feel much safer in the community than they did at home.
Camellia Gardens “hasn’t lost a beat to COVID,” Cynthia added. She added that the primary focus of the management and staff is to “be of service to our seniors and to keep them safe. You can feel the thought, love and devotion that goes into every decision and every act we do for our beloved residents,” she added.
Photos/submitted
