Innovation leads as The Baldwin accomplishes rare feat in senior living, reaches fully reserved status 10 months before opening

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Jan 25, 2023, 09:15 ET

LONDONDERRY, N.H., Jan. 25, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Edgewood Senior Solutions Group of Massachusetts, has announced that The Baldwin — a Life Plan Community currently under construction in Londonderry, New Hampshire — has achieved fully reserved status 10 months before its anticipated opening. Being fully reserved prior to opening is a rare accomplishment for any brand-new senior living community, but even more impressive when you consider the challenges businesses have faced in the last three years.

Architect’s rendering of The Baldwin showing the pedestrian bridge that will span Wexford Drive. The pedestrian bridge creates an indoor connection between all buildings, making it possible for residents to access all areas of the community without having to go outside in inclement weather.

"Our firm began marketing The Baldwin in March 2020, just as the world began shutting down due to the pandemic," says Heidi Harrison, a partner at Illumia, agency of record for The Baldwin. "Traditionally, senior living marketing includes in-person informational events. But with people sheltering in place — especially the older adults we needed to reach — we had to quickly pivot and come up with new ways to meet and talk with prospective residents.

"Contrary to stereotypes, we know that most older adults are tech savvy," says Harrison. "We immediately transitioned from in-person events to a live, interactive online format, making The Baldwin one of the first communities in the nation to market itself this way."

With a mix of digital strategies and traditional media layered in, The Baldwin's sales team logged reservation deposits from prospective residents at an accelerated rate and, within 16 months, the community was preparing to break ground.

"We set out to take what we have collectively learned as a team serving seniors for more than 30 years, and put it all into The Baldwin," says Marlene Rotering, CEO of The Baldwin and its sister community, Edgewood Retirement Community in North Andover, Massachusetts. "Success like this is almost unheard of, even without a pandemic to contend with. But The Baldwin's commitment to innovation and flexibility is creating the kind of community modern seniors want to live in."

Start with its location. The Baldwin is being built in Woodmont Commons, an up-and-coming mixed-use development in Londonderry. "We don't believe older adults should be sequestered in a place where they only interact with people their own age," says Rotering. "The Baldwin is designed to be an integral part of the larger surrounding community. Our location in Woodmont Commons — as well as the shared amenity spaces we're including in our own buildings — will add an intergenerational dimension and opportunities for daily interaction."

The Baldwin is also unique in its approach to health care. Residents will have on-site access to small-home model assisted living and memory support, and short-term rehabilitation. What The Baldwin won't have, however, is a traditional nursing home.

"Today's older adults are more health-conscious than previous generations and they tend to stay active much longer," says Rotering. "The result is that most senior adults will never need the type of long-term care that requires a stereotypical, clinical nursing home. So, The Baldwin's model is centered around innovative, flexible ways to provide the care a resident may need without ever requiring them to move through a predetermined system of healthcare levels."

The Baldwin's future residents also appreciate the financial flexibility offered. Unlike most communities that have only one set contract, The Baldwin offers options that include Life Care and fee-for-service contracts. "The ability to choose the contract that best fits residents' plans and goals is unusual in the senior living market," says Rotering.

For those who hoped to live at The Baldwin but hadn't yet reserved an apartment home, Maria Byrne, director of sales, says the opportunity still exists. "With 10 months until The Baldwin opens, we know there will be some people who will experience a change in circumstances and have to withdraw their reservation before moving in. This creates an opportunity for people who missed out or those who are just hearing about The Baldwin to join the Priority Reservation List. This list is specifically for people who are ready to reserve an apartment home at The Baldwin if one becomes available. Interested people can call The Baldwin Welcome Center to learn more."

When complete, The Baldwin will include 190 independent-living apartments for adults aged 62 and up, on-site health care, and a full complement of services and amenities. Plans for the site include a state-of-the-art fitness center, indoor pool, and hot tub; multiple dining venues; a multi-use theater/auditorium; an art studio and gallery; a woodworking shop; a library and classrooms; and underground parking. Several of the community's amenities, including a spa and salon, a convenience store, and the dining venues, will be open to the public.

For more information, visit the website at TheBaldwinNH.org.

IMAGES:

Photos, high-resolution renderings of The Baldwin, and captions are available for download.

CONTACT:
Marlene Rotering
Chief Executive Officer
The Baldwin
1E Commons Drive, No. 24
Londonderry, NH 03053
Telephone: 603.404.6080
Email: [email protected]
Website: TheBaldwinNH.org

SOURCE The Baldwin