2Life Communities

Today and every day, we’re grateful for our community and all who help make 2Life a place where older adults feel comfort, connection, and joy.

J.J. Carroll House’s outdoor spaces continue to show what’s possible when thoughtful design and community come together. Created in partnership with Stantec and MASS Design, the J.J. Carroll landscape is more than a garden — it’s a collection of spaces that invite people in. The gathering plaza, right on Chestnut Hill Avenue, is a landscaped terrace where grandchildren play alongside grandparents, and where neighbors connect through nature, art, and moments of quiet reflection. Above it sits a rooftop garden where residents tend to raised beds and grow their own plants. With native plants, pollinator habitats, and walking loops, these spaces promote ecological health, everyday joy, and a stronger, more connected community. Read the full High-Profile article here: https://lnkd.in/ephYfXfZ

You can usually find Community Coordinator Nicole Beckles behind the front reception desk at Kurlat House. “Nicole always has a smile, a friendly demeanor, and a fresh outlook,” says her supervisor, Madeline Santiago, Executive Director of 2Life’s Brighton Campus. For Nicole, that is job one. “My priority is engaging positively with whoever comes to my desk,” she says. Nicole does far more than just “meet and greet.” “My favorite part of being here is interacting with residents and helping them problem solve,” she says. That could mean helping them figure out how to return an online purchase, showing them how to call an Uber, or helping to track a lost phone. “Sometimes a resident might say ‘I have no family close by,’ so I tell them, ‘Well then, you should feel free to come down here and say hello.’” Madeline notes that residents frequently take Nicole up on this offer, which “speaks volumes about her approachability and positive presence.” Aside from her empathy, Nicole is very organized. “She has effectively structured front desk operations and the flow of information,” notes Madeline. For example, Nicole recently devised a color-coded system for logging package deliveries across four different houses on the Brighton Campus — an improvement her colleagues really appreciate. “There are always opportunities to learn and grow. I just seem to notice those little details that I can perfect.” Before joining 2Life, Nicole was a personal care assistant and worked in community engagement for the Boston Housing Authority. “I’ve always been deeply involved in resident communications and finding ways to help seniors in my community. But here it is absolutely different from anywhere I’ve been. Everyone is so strongly invested in our mission, and it’s so inspiring. Every day is beautiful!”

Brown Family House in Brookline, MA, offers affordable, supported housing for seniors age 62 plus. But that doesn't really capture the spirit of what this warm, inquisitive, and art-loving community is all about. If you ever wondered what aging in community might look like, here's a glimpse inside life at Brown Family House.

The demand for senior housing is higher than ever, but the ability to meet that demand grows more challenging every day. At Senior Housing News’ recent BUILD and BRAIN Conference, senior living investors, developers, owners, and operators discussed the current industry challenges as well as the creative ways in which they are being overcome. 2Life's Chief of Middle Market Innovation Denise McQuaide spoke on the panel "Cracking the Code: New Middle-Market Models of the Future," sharing her experience with 2Life's new Opus Newton offering. Read more about the key takeaways from the conference: https://ow.ly/wVS850XtvMm

On Thursday, November 13, more than 40 residents representing all seven 2Life campuses traveled with 2Life staff to the Massachusetts State House to deliver more than 60 unique pieces of artwork with a message: Seniors deserve to be in the places where decisions are being made with an impact on them. The art drop was a culmination of work across every 2Life campus to channel residents’ creativity and commitment to social justice. The goal was to bring seniors’ unique needs, interests, and wishes to the forefront for policymakers in a way that would leave an impression — and so far, based on feedback we have received, we’ve done just that. With the support of funding from MassHousing through a Housing Stability Inclusion and Leadership grant, 2Life staff members Madeline Ludtke, therapeutic arts manager, and Emily Levine, chief of advocacy, engaged more than 70 residents across each campus in a two-part arts and advocacy workshop. “These works of art are a creative way for our residents to take a step into the spaces of policymakers who represent them,” says Madeline Ludtke. “Every time someone looks at the artwork, they can remember the story of the artist who made it.”

Great news 🎉 The Healey-Driscoll administration awarded $1 million for the development of a permanent home for the Shattuck Child Care Center at Brooke House by 2Life Communities. The Shattuck Child Care Center (SCCC) was displaced from its long-term home at the Lemuel Shattuck Hospital in 2017 and has been operating out of the First Baptist Church in Jamaica Plain. In its new home at Brooke House, the SCCC will add a second toddler classroom and increase from 46 to 55 toddlers and preschoolers. Brooke House is on track to start construction in 2026 on the grounds of the former Boston State Hospital in Mattapan and will also provide 127 affordable, service-enriched apartments for older adults. Thank you to Office of Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey and Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll for supporting this important project and to the MA Dept of Early Education and Care, Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation (CEDAC), and the Children's Investment Fund for the opportunity.

"If ‘diversity’ is being invited to the party, ‘inclusivity’ is being asked to dance," Principal and PEople Culture Manager Emily Pierson-Brown writes in our latest Insights post. In “How Do You Design an Inclusive Community?” she expands on the key to creating inclusive environments—hint: it’s about intentionally expanding the circle to not just invite everyone in, but also ensure their experience is meaningful—and highlights how Perkins Eastman has been doing so for decades. Pictured is one such project: Opus Newton, 2Life Communities’ newly opened development for middle-income seniors in Newton, MA. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eSrA_XS4 #Insights #Diversity #Inclusivity #InclusiveCommunities #BuiltEnvironment #Design #Architecture #HumanByDesign #PerkinsEastman