As seen in White Plains Express…
By Greg Shillinglaw
The Kensington in White Plains can give on-site medical care.
When a friend told him about a new assisted-living center under construction in the downtown area, Walter Flemister headed to The Kensington on Maple Avenue to take a tour.
After checking it out, Flemister quickly decided to move his father there from New Rochelle to be closer to his family, who live in the White Plains area.
“We’re doing some things different from what I’ve seen at other assisted living communities,” said Tiffany Tomasso, a partner of the Virginia – based company developing the property.
“Seniors want to be part or the community, and this is an active part of the greater Westchester community.”
Construction started in January 2010 after Fountain Square Senior Living bought the vacant city plot for $2.4 million.
Located across the street from White Plains Hospital’s Dickstein Cancer Treatment Center, The Kensington is part of revitalization plans for the East Post Road corridor and the expansion of the medical hub around the hospital.
“There’s not a lot of supply for assisted-living given the amount of caregivers and seniors,” Tomasso said.
“New York has great demographics, particularly in the metro area. There are a lot of caregivers.”
With a total of 87 suites and space for 105 senior citizens, The Kensington is licensed to provide full medical care on-site, a service not commonly offered by assisted living communities.
It also features specialized programs for residents with memory loss on the fourth and fifth floors.
“The average age of a resident is 83 or 84 year old, more than half of them with some level of dementia, so the child is malting decisions for them,” said Tomasso, who has worked with assisted living communities for 26 years. “Mom or Dad can no longer live alone.”
Accommodations also include interactive reader boards, restaurant – style dining and shuttle services.
The hallways are decorated with paintings and memory boxes, which help identify residents’ suites by telling a story about their lives.
Scheduled to open in mid August, The Kensington is waiting to receive inspection certificates from the county and state.
Tomasso said she expects it to be at full occupancy within two years.