Connie Remscheid, in black, a Baptist Health volunteer, said she was excited to see the assisted living center being developed by the company in Glenville because many senior residents want to stay in their community. Photo by John Purcell.
GLENVILLE — Farmland is about to be transformed in Glenville, as Baptist Health broke ground on a new assisted living community Friday, Oct. 19.
Spirits were high despite a downpour at the groundbreaking ceremony for Judson Meadows, at 39 Swaggertown Road. Construction had already begun on the $14 million assisted living center, which will have 67 apartments and house 72 people. There will be studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom and semi-private units available. Various levels of care will be available to accommodate a range of needs.
The Horstman Farm formerly owned the land, and residents picked strawberries and purchased fresh produce there over the years. Baptist is hoping to keep the tradition going after constructing the apartments.
“We are currently in discussion for ways to implement the vegetable farming culture and heritage of this land into a program or activity for the residents who will live at Judson Meadows,” said Director of Marketing/Development for Baptist Health System Ruth Tietz in a statement.
Baptist Associate Administrator Tony Allota said many of Baptist’s residents enjoy planting tomatoes, flowers and herbs, so some sort of community garden would be located on site.
One 81-year-old woman recalled picking strawberries at the old farm. Connie Remscheid, a Scotia resident, said 60 years ago she picked strawberries for 2 cents a quart. Remscheid has volunteered for Baptist Health for almost nine years, giving around 180 hours of her time annually, five days a week. She visits with residents and helps out in the gift shop and in the business office. There is one resident she helps feed, too.
Her mother was a resident at Baptist for three-and-a-half years, and she volunteered during the last year-and-a-half she lived there. Since then, Remscheid has just continued to volunteer because she enjoys the camaraderie.
“The residents love to reminisce and because of my age and if they are local we have something in common,” she said. “We reminisce about old Schenectady, old Albany, Amsterdam.”
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