The Meadows: Secure and independent living

Text by Mike Bourgoin
Photos by Dave Gondek

Located on Route 202 in Greene, The Meadows provides retired residents with safety, security, and, quite possibly, some of the best home cooking around. Once the site of a hotel, the Meadows is uniquely constructed to meet the needs of the residents. The hallways are wide and level so residents can get their exercise indoors when the weather’s bad.
Situated only a few miles from Lewiston, The Meadows is conveniently located near shopping malls, doctor’s offices, hospitals, and anything else residents might need. The Meadows also offers security and independence. The residents have the security of someone on site at all times as well as the independence to come and go as they please.
For their residents with vehicles, the staff at The Meadows will clean the snow off the cars in the winter and bring it right to the door. All the residents have to do is drive away. For residents who don’t drive, The Meadows offers a shuttle service to doctor appointments, shopping trips, as well as fun outings.
Residents enjoy spacious rooms, each with a private bath, and each room has its own thermostat for the resident’s comfort. Assistance is on-call 24 hours a day with emergency call buttons located in each room. As part of the monthly fee, residents also get housekeeping and linen services, a laundry room, and a game/TV room.
Owner Rebecca Laliberte and her staff strive to make the Meadows, warm and friendly. As part of this family atmosphere, family members of residents are welcome to dine with the residents. They can even accompany them on any of the many outings the residents enjoy. Rebecca isn’t just the owner, she’s also a neighbor, living on the premises and is available 24 hours a day.
Unlike other retirement facilities, The Meadows provides all of the above mentioned amenities plus three meals a day for roughly one third of what the other facilities in the region charge. In this current economy, when savings are evaporating, the all-in-one pricing of The Meadows can lead to significant savings for their residents.
All the meals are prepared with taste and nutrition in mind. The Meadows can accommodate any special dietary needs the residents may require. In keeping with the family atmosphere, meals are served in the large dining room where guests can socialize during meals. Residents come from a variety of backgrounds but they’ve all found security, convenience, good friends, and great food at The Meadows.
Some residents, like Evelyn Webster, moved in when caring for her house became too much. Evelyn’s daughter Deborah used to worry about her mom living in a large house located on a busy road. Both Evelyn and Deborah were looking for a place that would provide independence along with security 24/7.
“I really enjoy it here and would recommend it to anyone. It’s never lonely, there’s always someone around,” are a few of the comments Evelyn uses to describe living at The Meadows. She was even able to bring along her cat, Tuffy, who’s getting more spoiled every day.
The Meadows also provides residents with a wide variety of activities. In the winter, the residents can go snow shoeing and cross country skiing on the grounds. Residents can also take part in feeding the goats and turkeys. Indoors, there’s an exercise room and a game room complete with a pool table. Rebecca prides herself on running a “green” business. She and her staff have evaluated operations and taken steps to reduce their carbon footprint.
It’s not easy watching loved ones getting older. Where parents once worried about their children’s well being, children now worry about their parents. Thanks to Rebecca and the staff at The Meadows, they don’t have to worry anymore. Now, children can rest assured that their parents will still be independent, but have the security of on-call assistance whenever they need it. They can also take comfort in the fact that their loved ones are getting above average care for a price that won’t break the bank.
One comment that Rebecca has heard over the years is, “I should have done this sooner.” Some residents have put off making the move to The Meadows and discovered all of the fun they’ve been missing. Check out The Meadows today and see what you’ve been missing.

The Meadows
Greene, Maine 946-3007