Located on a serene 5.5-acre wooded lot 10 miles outside of Boston, The Residence at Natick South (Natick South) is a new 82,274 square foot assisted living and memory care community comprised of 86 apartments, programmed as 62 assisted living and 24 memory care units. Recognizing the rapidly shifting demographics of Natick’s aging population, the town created a new assisted living overlay district within a quarter mile of its historic downtown to encourage diverse housing opportunities for seniors – accommodating their changing lifestyles and health care needs through an alternative residential program. This type of forward-looking zoning allows Natick South to uniquely reflect locally defined priorities that address today’s pressing affordability, housing challenges, and senior market demand. Local health and equity goals are also met, by a shift towards walkability, use of local transit hubs and ensuring seniors have access to retail, parks, cultural, educational, and recreational opportunities – viewing these amenities not as optional criteria but as critical infrastructure.
Resident-directed care focuses on the needs of individuals, giving them agency in determining how best to fulfill their needs. Natick South is designed to create a nurturing community prioritizing individual choice, social opportunities, and a continuum of care for varying levels of acuity. Providing choice through well-considered design and programmatic elements prevents social isolation and allows residents (and family members) to create a hierarchy of preferences and alternative daily activities, resulting in a sense of independence and self-worth essential to their well-being.
A key aspect of the community’s design is to ensure a mix of socially driven communal areas balanced with intimate zones, encouraging the pursuit of collective activities and individual interests. Both resident populations enjoy dedicated dining rooms, activity spaces, and outdoor terraces. Shared spaces, intended for broader participation and socialization, include a fitness center, theater, lounging areas, game room, salon, library, and bistro. A variety of assisted living apartment floorplans ranging from studios, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom units allow for flexibility and personalization. At Natick South, the adaptable, aesthetically pleasing environment caters to the physical and emotional needs of residents whether they are active or in need of more personalized care – making daily life more joyous.
Native Americans aptly named the area, Natick, meaning the “place of the rolling hills” and the community is perfectly sited to take full advantage of its proximity to its natural surroundings. This thoughtful design approach maximizes vistas to the landscape and creates south facing indoor/outdoor areas, creating light-filled volumes of space. The health and wellness benefits of biophilic design are important for both resident populations, but especially profound for those with memory impairment; studies show a connection between natural light and positive resident health. Drawing on the natural beauty of the site, Natick South’s design prioritizes an adaptable environment that provides independence and comfort while fostering both lively social interaction and peaceful solitude – in keeping with residents’ changing needs over time.