Mercer Hill luxury retirement community takes inspiration from downtown Doylestown

The Township of Doylestown has a new art studio, cinema, music conservatory, pub, lounge and steak house.

To participate, you must be 62 years of age or older.

the Mercer Hill in Doylestown promises a luxury retreat by living in a sprawling neighborhood designed to resemble Doylestown’s Main Street.

Across the United States, operator Merrill Garden is building communities of seniors that may be more like hotels for business travelers.

The most recent development of Merrill Garden began in July 2019 off South Easton Road in the township. This community of 164 units will also have a general store, post office, outdoor patio and fire pit, lavender field and horse.

The developers are playing on a rapidly growing population of retirees who want more than a good game of bingo.

By 2050, one in five Americans could be 65 and over, according to the U.S. census. Currently, some 811,000 Americans live in about 28,000 elderly communities in the United States, estimates the CDC.

In Pennsylvania, 64% of senior residents are 86 and older and 40% have Alzheimer’s disease or some other form of dementia, according to the National Center for Assisted Living.

Mercer Hill’s first tenants in Doylestown could move in by November, property manager Deb Bodnar said.

The retirement home boasts of its proximity to Doylestown’s shops and restaurants and local architecture. Community cinema is inspired by that of Doylestown County theater, and the activity center designed to resemble Joseph Ambler Inn. The pub in the retirement home will look like the Doylestown Inn, a doctor’s office is modeled on the Court Street Borough Hotel, and the outside of the living room will look like Paper Unicorn Shop on the main street.

Mercer Hill said the campus would cater to those seeking independent living, assisted living, and a memory care section will be limited to people with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

Independent living starts at $ 2,750 per month and includes three meals a day, weekly housekeeping, basic cable, and community activities. Personal care starts at $ 4,800 per month. Memory care ranges from $ 5,000 to $ 7,475.

In memory care, you don’t just deal with dementia, but also anxiety and depression, ”Bodnar said. “We will create safe spaces. So you can do it on the walking trail. You can engage in activities and we will have reminiscence activities. “