By Richard L. Gaw
Staff Writer

In the early 1970s, when the idea to build the Kendal-Crosslands at Longwood community was first imagined, the original architects of its vision believed that it would be grounded in the bedrock of Quaker values and transform the experience of aging through groundbreaking advances in independent living and healthcare.

In 1973, when Kendal accepted its first four residents, seniors made up about 10 percent of the U.S. population, but as the community grew over the years, it did so against the backdrop of a new reality, one that now continues to see the graying of the Baby Boom generation. Now, more than 50 years after Kendal-Crosslands’ beginning that also includes the Coniston and Cartmel communities, nearly 60 million Americans are aged 65 and over – about 18 percent of the population, but the Population Reference Bureau reported that seniors are projected to reach 82 million by 2050 – a 47 percent increase over the next three decades.

For the first five decades of its existence, Longwood provided care for those residents who were born at the turn of the 20th Century. As it began to lay the groundwork for its next 50 years, Longwood realized that it needed to explore ways to make life better for the next five decades of residents.  

Realizing a need

A decade ago, Longwood staff, residents and board members began to collaborate on a plan that would integrate new healthcare systems onto the campus and prioritize comfort, safety, accessibility and personal connection with medical professionals. In February of 2024, Longwood broke ground on a $56 million, four-phase expansion and renovation of its health center that also included the construction of additional independent living apartments. The projected completion date of the 35-mont project will be during the first quarter of 2027.

The project was designed by the architectural firms Lenhardt Rogers and Perkins Eastman and is being constructed by Benchmark Construction – all of whom have ample experience in designing and building senior living communities.

“I am tremendously proud of this initiative at the Kendal at Longwood campus,” State Sen. John Kane said at the expansion’s groundbreaking on Feb. 24, 2024. “The fusion of natural surroundings, cutting-edge technology and modern sustainability measures to creative and empathetic solutions that our world desperately needs today. 

“This reimagined health center will not only provide exceptional care, but also significantly enhance the quality of life within the community. It is heartening to see Kendal at Longwood’s unwavering commitment of providing exceptional care for our community.”

“The need to expand our healthcare services stemmed from our care delivery system,” said Kendal-Crosslands Chief Executive Officer Lisa Marsilio. “It was all about how we deliver care to our residents, and how we deliver care in a way that is integrated both from independent living into a personal care system that incorporates that transition in a very seamless way.

“We approached this expansion from the standpoint of, ‘How does it feel more like home as you transition through the continuum of care? How do we integrate all of the services our community needs – like memory care and continuum of care -- so that it becomes a seamless transition, and how do we make sure that the services we have today will meet the needs of the residents of tomorrow?’”

The first phase of Kendal at Longwood’s expansion project –  renovating the personal care wings of Kendal and adding 18 independent living garden apartments – was completed in August, but it’s just the start of a larger plan whose foundations are steeped in a philosophy that looks at the entire system of care journey for a Kendal resident.

Over the course of the renovation’s multi-year lifespan, the new Kendal at Longwood will include an enhanced Resident Care medical clinic, rehabilitation spaces and personal care and skilled nursing residencies. 

One of the key components of the project will also reflect Kendal at Longwood’s commitment to environmental sustainability. Working with Steven Winter Associates – a leading expert in energy-efficient designs - the expansion’s infrastructure will include solar power that will help reduce energy use; energy-efficient lighting and HVAC systems; environmentally friendly building materials; and best practice water conservation and rain-water management priorities.

“Every facet of this project has had some sort of sustainability initiative around it,” said Seth Beaver, Kendal Longwood’s vice president of community operations. “Our residents are very passionate around sustainability, so having the Steven Winters group here for presentations on sustainability allowed our residents to play a role in the decision-making process.” 

Person-centered approach that honors each resident

Among the many services that the expansion and renovation at Kendal at Longwood will continue to enhance is in the area of helping residents with cognitive impairments in a memory care program, through the application of Montessori principles. Inspired by Dr. Maria Montessori’s principles and under the guidance of Jennifer Brush, a leader in the field of Montessori for Older Adults, Kendal at Longwood promotes learning through a prepared environment and hands-on experiences.

Set to fully open in 2027 in the newly redesigned health center, Kendal Longwood’s Montessori principles will be seen in the form of labels and visual cues to help a resident’s ability to navigate throughout the facility; accessible materials to promote spontaneous engagement; and the addition of quiet zones for reading and reflection that will continue to empower residents live meaningful lives.

It’s part of Kendal Longwood’s person-centered approach that honors each resident of the program – their history, their strengths, their preferences and their wish to engage in the entire community.

“To give an example of our Montessori initiative, if a resident was a woodworker their whole life, there will be an activity station in the new health center where they can perform some small tasks putting things together that involve the familiar feel of tools that will keep their mind active and engaged,” Beaver said. “The Montessori teaching method is heavily integrated into this building, with alcoves and programs and programming, which is something that is unique to this expansion project.”

‘The big picture’ of Kendal at Longwood

From the time the original architects set down the vision for what has become the evolving mission of what has become the 50-year journey of the Kendal-Crosslands community, one invisible but impenetrable thread has stitched together the entire cloth of its impact on others.

It is seen in the meaningful relationships that are formed here between residents and staff. It is manifested in the initiatives and ideas that provide a continuum of care, and within the framework of its largest expansion yet, it will be heard and experienced by everyone from residents enjoying independent living to those whose care will be treated with respect, kindness and compassion. 

“The big picture of the Kendal at Longwood renovation has already been realized, because it was already here during its infancy stages, and now, it’s being expanded and evolved to meet the needs of our residents,” Marsilio. “Our founders were such visionaries, and this expansion is about preparing their vision for the next generations of residents who will be part of this community.

“Sometimes, we lose our dignity as we age, and we at Kendal-Crosslands try to preserve that dignity. No matter how old you are, no matter if you lose your memory or whether you are severely impeded from living your best life, we will never lose our mission to treat everyone with dignity.”

To learn more about Kendal at Longwood and the Kendal-Crosslands communities, visit www.kendal-crosslands.org.

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email [email protected].