YEADON, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) — After eight years in the making, an affordable housing community for seniors and adults with disabilities is finally open in Yeadon Borough, Delaware County.
There are 44 one-bedroom apartments at HumanGood’s Makemie Court, each equipped with smart home technology, including doorbells, door locks, and voice-controlled thermostats and light switches. The goal is to help residents live as independently as possible.
Makemie Court is senior living provider HumanGood’s 100th community in the country.
“Residents here can live much the way they want to,” mused Vidhi Anderson, HumanGood vice president of development. “We don’t have any restrictions. You can come in when you want. You can leave when you want. Your guests can come in when they want.”
Each apartment incorporates home enhancements like Alexa, Nest and Google Home — plus, there’s an on-site coordinator to connect residents to support services like health care and wellness classes.
“They have more technology that I can even operate,” said Anderson. “And it’s really cool that 12 accessible units have automatic door-openers.”
So far, eight residents have moved in, like 82-year-old Barbara Allison. She gets around using a walker and said her new residence has fewer steps to climb than where she used to live.
“This is such a blessing to me,” she said. “It’s all level. It’s on one floor. It’s quiet. I just love it. I have an end unit. I can look out and see my deer. I’ve taken pictures of them.”
She’s still adjusting to the tech, though. “I have blinds in my front room that are operated via the sun and I got to learn how to use them, but I’m learning as I go.”
“We just provide a safe environment and an environment where they can feel comfortable,” added Anderson.