Senior housing set to expand
More homes, new jobs in works for upscale ‘life plan’ community
A Bloomfield facility that offers “life plan” senior housing is expanding.
Duncaster, which is marking its 40th anniversary this year, has a major expansion in the works at the facility at 40 Loeffler Road. The goal is to meet a growing need for senior housing in the state and the nonprofit continuing care retirement community hopes to break ground early next year, officials said.
“On this 40th year anniversary, we are standing on the shoulders of those who created Duncaster and step into what’s ahead for the next 40 years here,” said Duncaster CEO Kelly Papa.
The improvements include construction of independent living areas and cottage homes, she said.
There also will be an expansion of the fitness and wellness program, updated dining areas, a new auditorium for the culture and arts center that could seat about 250, a movie theater and infrastructure changes to improve parking and the ability for all to maneuver around the 94-acre campus.
Duncaster now serves about 350 residents, including in 188 independent apartments that house about 250 residents, according to Papa. The center also has 60 private rooms in the Caleb Hitchcock Health Center for short-term stays after surgeries or long-term care. There are also 48 residents in the assisted living wing.
“We also treat those with cognitive impairments and memory changes, and we give them a chance to flourish and live a vibrant life,” Papa said.
Papa said the expansion will add 60 apartments and 32 cottages. Duncaster is working with the Bloomfield Wetlands Commission and Planning and Zoning Commission.
“We want to listen to questions from the public and be the great
neighbors we have always been,” Papa said. “We want to continue to be good stewards of the land.”
“With this large population of Baby Boomers who we keep seeing every day, and now we have this opportunity to expand to serve them more,” she said.
The Duncaster employs about 300 and 50 new jobs be added with the additions, Papa said. Many of its employees are from Bloomfield and the surrounding towns, she said.
“As we expand, it means more jobs for our communities,” Papa said.
The timeline is still being finalized, but the renovations are expected to begin early 2025 and are expected to be completed sometime in 2026.
Papa said Duncaster’s goal is to provide an atmosphere where issues are cared for by staff.
“Less housework and more fun,” Papa said. “We built a pickleball court and with the weather we’ve had, they have played all year. We have so many that love doing gardening in our greenhouse.”
In all, there are 40 different clubs and groups for the residents at Duncaster.
Papa said that when the building was first put up 40 years ago, there were 240 smaller apartments. Since then, there have been renovations and smaller one-bedroom apartments have been merged into 2- or 3-bedroom apartments.
“The market is shifting, and the Baby Boomers are hitting a certain age, and their families want to make sure their loved one is safe,” Papa said. “If they hit a button someone will be there for them. We have everything including a 24-hour nursing team as well as safety and security.”
Papa said the residents at Duncaster are full of knowledge, curiosity and questions.
“No one wants to live in a cruise ship, you want a sense of purpose,” Papa said. “People are planning their schedules around the events we do every day like card games, pickleball, lectures from the University of Hartford and also performances from the Hartford Symphony.”
Duncaster Board of Directors Chair John Shulansky said the renovations are important for the facility as well as Bloomfield.
“We provide jobs for many people in Bloomfield, and they depend on us for their livelihood. We are excited about adding more jobs,” Shulansky said. “We have been talking about growing for the last three years. This is a critical step towards our future.”
Shulansky has been the chair for three years and has been on the board for 10 years.
“Our culture comes first,” Shulansky said. “Everyone here has a voice, and residents engage in how we run things. This is their home, and they have a voice.”
Shulansky noted a recent performance by a resident who is a concert pianist was a standing-room-only show on campus.
Shulansky said there are about 1,900 Continuing Care Retirement Communities in the country and 1,500 are nonprofit. U.S. News has rated Duncaster as a Best Senior Living community for independent living, he said.
“We want to be the best. It’s a special place and I’m proud to be a part of it,” Shulansky said. “You have to be nimble and responsive to how people want to age into the future.”
Sally Richter has lived at Duncaster for the last four years with her husband of 58 years, Dale. The couple most recently lived in Bloomfield before staying in town by moving to Duncaster.
Sally Richter, 80, is the president of the Duncaster Resident Association and said she is excited about the expansion of the facility.
“I never anticipated how rich our lives were going to become after leaving our house,” Richter said. “We thought it was going to be the end, but it’s been a very active life for us, meeting friends and being alive.
“We are at the end of our lives and all of us here have varied experiences from teachers to doctors and corporate heads and widows. The campus is beautiful and being able to go outside and enjoy the community gardens and pickleball courts. This meets what we missed moving here and the fact that I don’t have to cook anymore is a good thing. This is a very full life, fuller than I expected.”
Richter said she is looking forward to the improvements to the dining rooms with a move toward casual bistro-dining in addition to the formal dining room. She said the improvements to the auditorium will also be well received.