United Church Homes to add 20 new jobs in $18M Trinity Community expansion

United Church Homes (UCH) will add up to 20 new jobs as part of a planned $18 million expansion project at Trinity Community, a full-service retirement community offering independent living, assisted living, rehabilitation and long-term care services.

UCH, a national nonprofit, faith-based senior living provider based in Marion, will add two new two-story buildings, each of which will include 32 assisted living private and semi-private apartments, with 16 apartments dedicated to residents living with dementia and Alzheimer’s at Trinity, 3218 Indian Ripple Road.

In addition, eight existing cottage homes on campus will be replaced by 12 new two-bedroom and three-bedroom independent living cottage homes.

The estimated cost of the multi-phased project is between $16 million to $18 million. Construction is expected to begin by spring 2018, and the project is projected to be completed in 15 to 18 months.

United Church Homes received conditional approval to move forward with the project from the Beavercreek Planning Commission earlier this month. UCH leaders will seek approval for the expansion from Beavercreek City Council Sept. 11.

Trinity currently has 181 independent living, assisted living and cottage homes and 99 long-term care and rehabilitation beds on a 25-acre campus.

The expansion will add new walking paths, spacious indoor common and activity areas, a new fitness and therapy center and snack stations in the memory care neighborhoods. Each cottage home will be between 1,800-and 2,100-square-feet with a one-car garage.

United Church Homes executives said the project will bring between 15 and 20 new jobs to Beavercreek that will include dining services, housekeeping, maintenance and nursing positions. Salaries for these positions are expected to range between $25,000 and $65,000 per year plus benefits. The average annual salary will be approximately $38,000.

Charles Mooney, senior vice president and chief operating officer, said the project is an investment in Trinity, which has provided high quality senior housing and supportive senior services for decades in the Miami Valley.

“The project will add new service capacity and state-of-the-art senior living options for Beavercreek’s residents. It will allow Trinity Community to build upon its legacy of service excellence and market leadership,” Mooney said.

David Zack, director of operations at United Church Homes, said the additional independent living, assisted living and memory care neighborhoods will allow residents to “age in place.”

“Residents can move from independent living to assisted living to memory care all on the same campus,” Zack said. “We’re also at the forefront of dementia research and are incorporating new programs in dementia care training and services for our residents.”

Trinity offers dementia care programs such as Music & Memory, Opening Minds through Art and iN2L (It’s Never Too Late) technology, which allows residents to connect with others online with a touch-screen computer. Staff are trained in Comfort Matters dementia care, an award-winning palliative care program that improves the quality of life of people living with the disease.

The Rev. Kenneth Daniel, president and CEO of United Church Homes, said the expansion project at Trinity is an investment in the modernization of the community.

“It’s an investment that will help Trinity meet what today’s seniors are looking for and grow the community in an innovative fashion,” Daniel said.

Research shows seniors are living longer and healthier lives and that the number of people 65 and older has increased tenfold in the last century.

“We are expanding to reposition our campus. We’re seeing a greater need for independent living, assisted living and memory care options. We currently have assisted living apartments on campus and dementia programs in place, but we want to further develop these programs with these new options,” Zack said.

Trinity Community Expansion Project Numbers:

Cost: $16 million to $18 million

Independent Living Cottages: 12

Assisted Living Apartments:  48

Memory Care Apartments (Rooms): 16

Total Units:  64

(Trinity currently has 88 independent living and assisted living apartments and 26 cottage homes. The cottages are two-bedroom and three-bedroom cottage homes.)

About United Church Homes:  United Church Homes has been “Celebrating the Spirit” of seniors for a century. The nonprofit, faith-based organization is one of the largest providers of senior living, with more than 1,500 dedicated staff serving 4,500 residents of all faiths in 70 senior living communities throughout 14 states and two Native American nations. UCH is in covenant with the United Church of Christ and welcomes residents of all faiths.