CARIBOU, Maine — The former Hilltop Elementary School in Caribou has been transformed to a new facility aiming to help senior citizens live as independently as possible.
Hilltop Heights Senior Living, located on 19 Marshall Avenue, officially opened its doors in November 2020, but delayed efforts to recruit tenants due to high COVID-19 case numbers at the time. With restrictions eased both inside and outside the facility, employees and investors are looking forward to when the halls and rooms are filled with residents going about their days.
Caribou Senior Living, LLC owns and manages Hilltop Heights, which includes 38 apartment units, 12 of which are currently occupied. The apartments all have one bedroom and vary in size and amenities depending on the resident’s health and their level of independence. Apartments are open to seniors age 62-years and older.
Shawn Pelletier, one of six investors involved with Caribou Senior Living, said that all apartments are non-subsidized units, meaning that a tenant’s rent does not fluctuate based on their income. For seniors with incomes too high to qualify for subsidized housing, the apartments could give them a more realistic option.
“A lot of people [in the Caribou area] don’t qualify for subsidized housing and have had to look elsewhere,” Pelletier said.
Hilltop Heights includes a full-service kitchen area for residents and guests who wish to enjoy a meal together, as well as a hair salon, various sitting areas, an outdoor vegetable garden and walking paths.
The facility also houses staff from Aroostook Home Health Services and Valley Home Health Services. While AHHS provides nursing care, personal support specialists and housekeeping services to seniors in need, VHHS provides occupational and physical therapy and social work services.
Tanya Sleeper, executive director of AHHS, said that unlike in nursing care facilities, Hilltop Heights residents access medical services on an as-needed basis. Many residents are those who prefer to live independently but with the security of having care nearby, she said,
“We’re focused on helping people age in place and build upon resources as their care needs change,” Sleeper said.
As more residents move in, Hilltop Heights plans to host more activities that bring residents and community members together. They will also host monthly open houses to make the public aware of services and potential benefits of senior living.
Thus far, residents have appreciated the balance of independence and community that Hilltop Heights offers, Sleeper said.
“They like having their own place but also being around other people. It’s a greater sense of home and community,” Sleeper said.
CARIBOU, Maine — June 28, 2021 — Hilltop Heights Senior Living in Caribou features a full-service kitchen and dining area for residents. (Melissa Lizotte | Aroostook Republican)
CARIBOU, Maine — June 28, 2021 — Shawn Pelletier of Caribou Senior Living, LLC gives a tour of an apartment unit at Hilltop Heights Senior Living. (Melissa Lizotte | Aroostook Republican)
CARIBOU, Maine — June 28, 2021 — Hilltop Heights Senior Living features 38 apartment units, 12 of which are currently occupied. (Melissa Lizotte | Aroostook Republican)
CARIBOU, Maine — June 28, 2021 — A hallway at Hilltop Heights Senior Living features a gathering area for residents and families. (Melissa Lizotte | Aroostook Republican)
