When it comes to the bustling population of a community, senior citizens are often over looked but the 55 and over make up a good portion of the St. Tammany population. With this in mind, the Archdiocese of New Orleans has built a unique senior living community in Covington called St. Anthony’s Gardens. The community is located on 24 acres and sits approximately 100 yards from Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church. The $40 million dollar community will rent the apartments on a monthly basis with no large cash buy-in required making it the only private pay senior living community on the Northshore.
St. Anthony Gardens can be compared to a resort with its many resort style features and amenities. The Garden Center Commons area has it all. As with any resort, there is an elegant dining room and private dining room. Residents can stay fit and healthy in one of the multiple exercise rooms, cardio and strength training rooms,
walking paths and Wellness clinic with medical exam room. They can stay busy at the theater, library with resident business center, beauty salon, barber shop, and arts and crafts studio. For solitude and reflection there is also an On-site chapel and covered porch.
Archbishop Aymond said, “There is a great deal of growth that continues on the northshore, and we, as church, realized there was a demand for a senior living facility. It’s important for the church to reach out and create a home for its citizens.” There are three new home residential options. According to Ken Swartzfager, asset manager for the project, “This is considered a Continuous Care Residential Community (CCRC), where you can easily transition from one stage of life to the next.”
The first option is “Independent Living” where residents can enjoy a healthy, active independent lifestyle along with the amenities and services provided by St. Anthony’s Gardens. Residents will be provided with housekeeping, lawn service, 24-hour concierge service, complimentary transportation to scheduled events, basic cable, HDTV digital audio/video output, high-speed internet, free local/National long distance calling and home repairs. The 120 independent living units (studio, one bedroom or two bedroom) feature 9 ft. ceilings with crown molding in living and dining areas, gourmet style kitchen with island and breakfast bar, full-sized kitchen appliances plus washer and dryer, generous walk-in closets and best of all they are pet-friendly.
The second option is “Assisted Living” which consists of 57 studio, one bedroom or two bedroom floorplans. According to the community website, residents are “Home but Never Lonely.” The assisted living residents will enjoy a kitchenette, 24-hour security and emergency call system, individual heating and cooling controls and plenty of storage space in each unit. The residents will be provided with assistance with activities and daily living, medication management, weekly housekeeping and linen services, three meals daily in restaurant-style dining room or room service, transportation to (medical care, stores and community services), and social and recreational activities.
The third option is called “Memory Care” and is dedicated for residents with Alzheimer’s disease and other related dementias. The 36 spacious suites include 24-hour security and emergency call system, three meals a day served family style or room service, medication administration, weekly housekeeping and linen services, daily activity programming, physical and occupational therapy, and a full calendar of resident activities. This area not only has full time loving care staff, but also keeps their special residents in mind with dedicated secure walking areas, scheduled transportation and specialized activities in the craft room.
John Eckholdt, former chief executive officer of the archdiocese says, “It’s state of the art and very safe. There’s a nice neighborhood and a major hospital almost within walking distance. The church is there. And, the fact that the archdiocese’s name is attached to it is a sign to people that it’s going to be well-done and people will be cared for.” Those that are looking to downsize from a larger home and live on the Northshore now have a new residential option. In fact, Covington’s new development already has its first resident. Stanley and Frances Bridges have moved into an independent living home and feel blessed that they are able to stay in the community they have lived in. Stanley Bridges grew up in Covington and retired as a pharmacist at Herbert Drugs. When asked about his new home, he said, “It’s fantastic – they treat you like royalty.” The development is not only a great place for Northshore senior citizens but will also be a hub for employment for Northshore residents. “When the community is fully occupied, St. Anthony’s Gardens should employ nearly 100 people”, Swartzfager said.
