As Aging in America Takes Center Stage, Kendal at Home Announces Expansion Plans to Massachusetts

PR Newswire

BOSTON and NORTHAMPTON, Mass., June 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Older adults are the largest and fastest-growing segment of the U.S. population, and those 65 and older will make up 23% of the population in Massachusetts by 2035. While many seniors consider turning to continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) to support them as they age, many others would prefer to remain in their own homes, yet their options have been limited. Kendal at Home, a not-for-profit organization driven by a singular mission to help people healthfully age in their own homes, is expanding aging in place alternatives in Massachusetts.

Founded on Quaker principles, including equality, dignity, respect for individuals and environmental stewardship, Kendal at Home helps members maintain an independent lifestyle in their homes as they explore their post-retirement 'second acts' with the assurance that as they age, their care needs will be provided. Kendal at Home services include navigating, coordinating and paying for long-term care, if and when it's needed, directly to members in their homes or wherever they may be located.

Since 2004, Kendal at Home has served its growing member community by combining three core elements of healthy aging in place -- care planning, care coverage, and care management, allowing members to thrive in their retirement years with the peace of mind that their long-term needs will be met. Kendal at Home's team of dedicated care coordinators are personally invested in their members' well-being and are there to support them with the services they need as they age.

"If you ask most people where they want to spend their older years, they would choose the home they live in over anywhere else," said Kendal at Home CEO Lynne Giacobbe. "We make that possible by not only working with them to help keep them independent and healthy as they age, but when they need care, we help them get the relevant services to keep them at home. In fact, 98% of our members have successfully aged in place over the last two decades, almost eliminating the need for nursing home care. Our members are active and independent for much longer because of the personal attention they get from our care coordinators. We are excited to bring this option to residents of Massachusetts."

The movement towards home-based long-term care management which began with Kendal at Home in the early 2000s has recently started to accelerate as the second half of the Baby Boom generation enters its post-retirement years. According to Pew Research, approximately 10,000 people in the United States turn 65 every day, and that trend will continue over the course of the next decade when the last of the Boomers reach retirement age. While the concept of 'retirement' has been re-defined by these younger Boomers in place of what many are calling their 'second act', it remains true that how this generation will fund and manage their long-term care needs is unclear.

"Aging adults are looking for options that respect their need for independence and allow them to safely age in their homes with dignity," said Katie Sloan, president and CEO of LeadingAge and executive director of The Global Ageing Network. "Organizations like Kendal at Home, support seniors with the services they need to live the retirement they want with peace of mind."

Kendal at Home comprehensively solves an array of specific aging challenges, including shortcomings of federal health care programs, gaps in long-term care insurance, long waits for continuing care communities, concerns about home security and safety, and family members' worries about parents' quality of life. The Kendal at Home program directly addresses the eight focus areas for an Age-Friendly Massachusetts by enabling members to stay in their homes and remain active contributors to the richness of life in their local communities.

Most importantly, it treats older age as the opportunity that it is, and not the stereotypical curse. "We have been serving the senior community in Ohio for more than 25 years and are always looking to bring news ways to meet their ever-changing needs, which include how and where they choose to age," said Sean Kelly, Kendal Corporation CEO. "The Quaker-inspired values that root us in this community are what drives our vision to continuously deliver innovative ways to help keep older adults, who choose to age at home, active, involved and fulfilled in their local communities."

About Kendal at Home

Established in 2004, Kendal at Home is a nationally recognized program and a pioneering leader in the field of aging in place. The Kendal at Home program is designed for older adults who are healthy and independent, want security for their future, and are planning to stay in their own home. To learn more about Kendal at Home visit us at: www.kendalathome.org.

About Kendal Corporation

Founded on Quaker principles and guided by its Values and Practices, Kendal provides independent living, assisted living, memory support, skilled nursing, rehabilitation care and lifecare at home in eight states. Kendal-affiliated retirement communities are located in Hanover, New Hampshire; Ithaca and Sleepy Hollow, New York; Northampton and Easthampton, Massachusetts; Lexington, Virginia; metro Washington, D.C.; Chicago; Kennett Square, West Chester and Newtown, Pennsylvania; and Oberlin and Granville, Ohio. Enso Village, a Zen-inspired Life Plan Community, currently is under development in Healdsburg, California. In Ohio and Massachusetts, Kendal at Home provides lifecare at home, combining the security of a continuing care retirement community with the freedom and independence of living at home.