Charlottesville is on a number of Top Ten lists – Best Place to Live and Best Public University for UVA – so it makes a great deal of sense that it is also known as one of the Best Places to Retire.
It offers Independent Living, Assisted Living and Memory Care residences in a rustically elegant setting just 12 miles from historic Charlottesville.
In May 2012, The Lodge at Old Trail opened near Old Trail’s Village Center to take advantage of the wonderful Blue Ridge Mountain Views, amenities of the already established Old Trail neighborhood – miles of walking trails, golf, restaurants, swimming, and gardening – and proximity to Crozet, Ivy, Waynesboro and Staunton.
A Fresh Approach to Senior Living
For those seniors that do not want to live in the heart of Charlottesville, The Lodge offers the convenience of living at the western edge of Charlottesville, where the historical and cultural offerings of a university town are within easy reach.
Play a round of golf, pick fresh peaches at a nearby orchard, walk the trails with your dog, raise a glass at a local vineyard, write your life story, enroll in a class, enjoy an evening at the theater, or simply relax and appreciate the view of a perfect sunset.
Situated in the middle of the vibrant multi-generational 1,200-acre community of Old Trail Village, The Lodge offers a myriad of options for living well, staying engaged and aging gracefully. There’s a small town feel – gatherings in the Village Center, and families playing on their front lawn.
An idea is born
Owner David Hilliard is a native of Charlottesville. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Washington College in Chestertown, MD. He also earned an accreditation from The Erickson School of Aging for Management and Operations of Senior Housing and Care.
He began his professional career on Wall Street on the investment side in Institutional Sales/Equities with Donaldson Lufkin Jenrette and was also a Managing Director at Wachovia Bank. In 2000, he began working in the healthcare industry as an Investor/Adviser for Shelburne Bay Senior Living in Shelburne, VT.
Hilliard, in conjunction with a local partner, founded The Lodge at Otter Creek in 2006, located in Middlebury, VT, and a similar community to The Lodge at Old Trail. In 2007, Hilliard founded Piedmont Senior Living for the purpose of developing The Lodge at Old Trail.
What does Old Trail have to offer?
Old Trail Village is host to a number of businesses including restaurants, fitness clubs and healthcare providers. There’s a neighborhood pool, gardens, six miles of walking trails and the Old Trail golf course.
What type of senior community is The Lodge?
The Lodge offers a continuum of care that includes 63 one- and two-bedroom apartments in The Ridges Independent Living for those with a more independent lifestyle, 43 one- and two-bedroom apartments in The Piedmont Assisted Living for residents who need additional services and 16 private studios in The Seasons Memory Care for residents with dementia requiring a secure environment.
Ridges apartments are spacious and feature 9- or 10-foot ceilings, full kitchens with granite countertops, big windows and generously sized balconies or patios. Piedmont assisted living apartments are the largest in the area. All apartments, even The Ridges Independent Living apartments, are licensed for residential care allowing for some supportive services, if needed.
Are healthcare services available?
A wide range of health and wellness services are offered at The Lodge. Healthcare staff includes a Medical Director, a Director of Nursing who is an RN, a second RN who manages the Seasons Memory Care, as well as LPNs, Medication Aids and CNAs.
Visiting physicians provide a range of services for residents. Physical and Occupational Therapies, a licensed dietician and hospice services are also available. The Lodge doesn’t provide accommodations for skilled rehabilitation or skilled nursing care onsite, but comprehensive skilled rehabilitation and/or skilled nursing care is available at nearby medical facilities.
For individuals requiring more assistance, The Piedmont Assisted Living offers an excellent array of personal and healthcare services in the largest assisted living apartments in the area.
What amenities are offered?
There are three distinct dining venues, including a fine dining room for dinner and special brunch occasions, Gregg’s Pub and Patio Bar and the Corner Cafe. Daily offerings include an emphasis on fresh, local cuisine. An all-inclusive resort style dining program in the Ridges Independent Living gives you the utmost in flexibility, knowing you can enjoy three meals every day.
Piedmont Assisted Living residents enjoy three meals a day in their own neighborhood dining room. A beautifully appointed private dining room is also available for special gatherings. There are spacious common areas to enjoy including the Great Room with a two sided fireplace and WiFi, a library, billiards room, cardio gym, fitness class spaces, and several community balconies. There’s also underground parking available in the expansive garage.
What services are offered?
Services are designed to offer residents a wide array of options. Hospitality services such as weekly housekeeping and fresh linen services help make life convenient. Transportation is provided in either Lincoln Town Cars or the multi-passenger Big Blue Bus. A concierge is on hand to make arrangements for residents.
The Life Enrichment staff ensures that social calendars will be full with a varied selection of educational, entertainment and fitness options to suit every taste. Lifelong learning is offered on site through UVA’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) during the spring and fall.
Third Thursday events are a special highlight each month as the community is invited to join in for an eclectic variety of educational and entertaining events. Local celebrities, musicians, area historians, authors, artists and a host of other interesting people make up the list of speakers.
Pet Friendly community?
The Lodge at Old Trail welcomes well behaved pets. Miles of sidewalks and walking trails in Old Trail Village means that dogs will have plenty of green space to enjoy with their owners.
