Rep-Am: Litchfield Senior Living Facility Has Gala Reopening

Article as it appeared in the Republican-American
By John McKenna

LITCHFIELD — Brandywine Senior Living celebrated the beginning of a new chapter on Thursday with a grand reopening that marked the completion of a major expansion and renovation of its building on Constitution Way.

Residents, staff, local elected officials and members of the community marked the occasion with fellowship, food and drink.

State Rep. John Piscopo, R-Thomaston, who represents part of Litchfield, told the crowd gathered in a new second-floor dining room that Brandywine has become an indispensable elder-care resource for Litchfield and northwest Connecticut.

“You have a beautiful place and you really meet a need in our community,” Piscopo said. “You had the foresight to provide a real home for people whose homes had become a burden, and it’s a great thing to see.”
 
Brandywine, built in 1997, recently completed a 40,000-square-foot addition that added 49 new living spaces, giving the upscale assisted living and memory care facility a total of 91 beds.

Facilities were renovated over the past two years as well, leaving them looking new.
 
There are 70 residents and now there’s room for another 35 with the added living spaces, Brandywine Executive Director Judith Pugh said. Most of the residents, she said, are from Litchfield or the surrounding area, or are relatives of local residents.
 
“We couldn’t ask for a better building to be in or a better company to work for,” Pugh said. “Thanks to all of you for your support. It means a lot to us.”

Roberta Andrulis Mette, executive director of the Litchfield Community Center, addressed the crowd as well and spoke of the relationship her organization enjoys with Brandywine.

“When I call on (Brandywine) for help, they’re there immediately,” Andrulis Mette said. “Their vision of helping the community is in concert with ours.”
 
Brandywine was named The Sarah Pierce when it was built after a long, grueling application process before the Planning and Zoning Commission. A small group of residents fought the proposed facility, saying it would alter the historic, small-town character of Litchfield.

But The Sarah Pierce was approved and since opening has annually been one of the town’s top five taxpayers. Brandywine bought the facility in 2007 and changed the name.

“Litchfield is a precious community and we want to be good neighbors,” said Brenda Bacon, Brandywine Senior Living president and CEO. “We work very hard at that.”

Contact John McKenna at jmckenna33@optonline.net.