New senior community near Rehoboth to offer unique options

A unique living option for area seniors is coming soon to the Rehoboth Beach area near the intersection of Shuttle Road and Route 1. The Lodge at Truitt Homestead, an 88-unit senior living community that will feature a variety of studio/standard, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom options - all with balconies or patios - is being built as part of Truitt Homestead, an age-restricted community for those 55 and over. The Lodge is expected to break ground later this year and open in early 2019, offering residents the convenience of a monthly rental agreement and no large entrance fees.

The Lodge is being developed as a joint venture between Vantage Point Retirement Living LLC of Exton, Pa., and Ocean Atlantic Companies of Rehoboth Beach. Daily operations of The Lodge at Truitt Homestead will be the responsibility of Vantage Point Retirement Living, a regional senior living development and management company which has been committed to providing seniors with best-in-class lifestyle communities in Delaware, Pennsylvania and Maryland for over 20 years.

The Lodge will provide residents with country club-style amenities such as an upscale restaurant, casual bistro, pub lounge, pool, and fitness programs. Other amenities will include a well-appointed movie theater, full-service salon, and outdoor terrace with water features and fire pits. Exceptional services will also be provided to residents of The Lodge, including an in-house concierge, weekly housekeeping, security, transportation, daily activities, social programs, and more.

What really sets The Lodge apart from other senior communities in the Rehoboth Beach area is something unique and relatively new in concept, something Greg Stevens of Vantage Point Retirement Living calls 'enhanced senior living.' Stevens explains enhanced senior living as an ideal option for people who may be candidates to move into an assisted living community because they currently require, or may soon need, assistance with certain day-to-day tasks, but desire to maintain their independence outside the typical assisted living environment and do not want to pay large, up-front entrance fees.

The assisted living industry has been serving the needs of the aging population since the mid-1980s. Since then, communities have evolved to provide higher levels of care to seniors who are living longer with each passing year. These efforts to accommodate the aging population's increasing needs are necessary, but Stevens explains that the needs of those at the opposite end of the spectrum have not been adequately addressed.

"Because assisted living communities can now provide more care than ever before, the average acuity level of residents, and their perceived frailty, is also higher than ever before. We've met many seniors who are in between the stages of independent living and assisted living but don't want to make the transition to assisted living because they 'aren't like' residents they've seen during visits to these communities. In turn, they move to independent living or even stay at home and put themselves at risk for physical injury and other health crises," said Stevens. The Lodge will seek to serve the many seniors in this category.

"The Lodge will be unique because it offers seniors flexibility to opt in to certain services while opting out of others," Stevens said. For example, in most assisted living communities in the area, residents are required to eat all their meals in the dining room and have only a small kitchenette in their apartment. At The Lodge, residents will have a beautiful, modern kitchen (including a full, stainless steel appliance package and granite counters) in their open-concept apartment, but they will also have the option to dine in The Lodge's upscale restaurant or casual bistro, with a monthly allowance for dining included in the rent of an apartment.

The Lodge is part of Truitt Homestead, an age-restricted community of single-family homes that will be offered for sale by Schell Brothers this summer. Homeowners at Truitt Homestead will receive access to The Lodge's clubhouse-style amenities as part of their monthly maintenance fees. Stevens explains that this added value further emphasizes the uniqueness of The Lodge, and the whole community of Truitt Homestead, for that matter. He said, "Most age-restricted communities do not allow homeowners to gain access to the types of services that are offered by The Lodge, such as dining services and wellness programs. Perhaps more importantly, homeowners will receive priority access to residency at The Lodge when they want or need more services over time. Purchasing a home at Truitt Homestead is an ideal choice for those seniors who want to own their home and enjoy a low-maintenance, amenity-rich lifestyle now, but are also planning for their needs in the future."

For more information about The Lodge, visit www.truittlodge.com, email info@vpretirement.com, or call 302-232-6372.