Maple Ridge Lodge Assisted Living sits among the forests and golf courses of Essex Junction, Vermont, close to the Essex Resort and Spa, with a campus that includes a Memory Care building, and the place feels peaceful and secure, with shaded courtyards, walking paths, and a charming garden, and folks say you see scenic views of the Green Mountains and plenty of natural surroundings. The lodge is newly built, with a modern mountain lodge design, a two-story lobby made of wood timber and a stone fireplace, and interiors decorated with Vermont artwork and lighting from Hubbardston Forge, so residents who enjoy local touches will find plenty of them all around. There are seventy-one apartments, including studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom models, with both private and companion suites available, and rooms come furnished with modern comforts, Wi-Fi, telephones, and an emergency alert system for safety.
Residents who need help with daily living get support with bathing, dressing, transferring, and medication management, with staff on hand day and night, while those living with dementia or Alzheimer's receive special care through the AspireCare program, which aims to keep residents engaged and reduce confusion with memory therapies, activity schedules, and therapies to help prevent wandering. The wellness center offers fitness classes, checkups, and monitoring for health, and the team includes nurses and aides available 24/7, who go through annual training and follow core values of dignity, care, and safety. People can get around the area using scheduled transportation or shuttle concierge services for appointments, trips, or events, which makes moving about town easier.
Meals get made using locally sourced ingredients, and there's a Harvest Dining room, The Beechwood Pub, and Barley Bistro, along with a private dining space for special events, and the kitchen handles dietary restrictions like allergies or special diets when needed. Activities run throughout the week, often scheduled or resident-run, and include art programs in the Horizons Art Studio with an Artist-in-Residence, music, movie nights, fitness classes, outings, pet therapy, gardening in the herb beds, and Wellness Wednesdays with chair massages, guided meditation, breathing exercises, yoga, and sound bath healing, all meant to help residents relax and socialize. There's also a stocked library for readers, a state-of-the-art movie theater, a barber and beauty salon for hair and nails, community laundry and dry cleaning, and walking paths for exercise.
Maple Ridge Lodge supports a pet-friendly community, so pets can stay with their owners, and the building includes handicapped accessibility, antimicrobial furniture for health, and a safe layout to keep residents safe. Staff keep things clean with housekeeping, laundry, and move-in coordination, and families often mention the move-in process is smooth and the community atmosphere is friendly, with joyful, kind workers who take time to help new residents feel welcome. Programs like Harvest Dining, Inspired Life, and Green Seniors, along with MIND Diet recipes for brain health and regular educational presentations, add something extra to life at the lodge. The management, Hallkeen Management, has good reviews, with a rating of 8.0 out of 10 based on many families' feedback. Awards for best meals, dining, and activities in senior living show that residents get a lot of engagement each day.
Licensing is current, with state regulations in place, and partnerships with Vermont businesses like Shelburne Farms and Dakin Farms mean local goods are a regular part of daily life. The Lodge provides a calm, supportive option for seniors who want assisted living, memory care, independent living, skilled nursing, or ongoing retirement living, and there are amenities and care types tailored to many needs, from people who simply want meals and housekeeping, to those who need higher levels of care and hands-on support.
