Frequently Asked Questions

At New Pond Village, we are committed to providing a continuum of care that supports our residents’ unique needs and preferences. Our community offers three distinct care types, ensuring that every resident can find the ideal environment to thrive: Independent Living, Assisted Living and Memory Care.

New Pond Village has 139 Independent Living, 49 Assisted Living and 28 Memory Care
apartment homes.

New Pond Village residents have the option to pay a non-refundable or 90-percent refundable one-time entrance fee, along with a monthly fee that remains predictable even if your care needs change.

Your monthly fee provides you with a package of services including housekeeping, dining, transportation services, 24-hour response system, maintenance, repairs, snow removal, taxes, landscaping, utilities (electric, heat, AC, gas, phone, internet), assigned parking, security and Lifecare.

You will have use of our many amenities, including a beauty salon/barber, library, billiards room, business center and craft room. You will also have access to all programs and activities, including lectures, functions, outings, classes and fitness classes.

At New Pond Village, you can expect a variety of healthy, delicious, chef-prepared dishes. You can feel confident that every day, you will have access to a wide array of foods that tempt your taste buds and leave you feeling satisfied.

Our dining offerings include our main dining venue, Colonial Room, the bistro and Village Club for formal or casual ambiance to suit your mood. Want something added to the menu? Our Food & Beverage Director is always interested in hearing what foods our residents enjoy eating.

From day trips to meet-the-author events, lectures, fitness classes and games, residents can choose among a variety of activities and scheduled events every day. In addition, there are hobbies and resident groups to help residents nurture their passions, including the resident-led Ukulele Club.

Yes! Pets are an important part of what makes New Pond Village the warm and welcoming community that it is.

Residents of New Pond Village love our community and the entire Walpole area! You’ll find ample opportunities for engagement and fun right here on our beautiful, wooded campus. But when you’re ready to get out and about, you’ll also find much to love in Walpole and just beyond.

Walpole is a vibrant New England town with restaurants, shopping, theatre, parks and lots of community pride. Boston and Providence are also just a short drive or train ride away. If you’re up for a quick day trip, you’ll have easy access to all the amenities of these major cities. At the end of the day, you’ll love coming back home to New Pond Village.

Currently, our community is at full capacity, but we invite you to contact our sales team to join the waitlist for future apartment availability. As a member of our Premier Access Club waitlist program, you will not only secure priority selection for your preferred apartment style but also enjoy a host of luxurious perks while you await your move.

New Pond Village is proud to be owned and operated by Benchmark Senior Living. Benchmark is one of the leading providers of senior living in the country, with communities located in Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, New Hampshire, Maine and Connecticut.

A continuing care retirement community (CCRC) offers senior housing and on-site amenities for seniors who want to remain in one place as they go through the aging process. At a CCRC, you could start in Independent Living and later get expanded care or move into Assisted Living as the need arises. A CCRC provides services to residents for the full continuum of care.

CCRCs have many advantages for seniors, including maintenance-free living. No raking, no shoveling, no home repairs: We take care of it. Residents at a CCRC are surrounded by like-minded people, which creates stimulating social opportunities. There are wellness and fitness programs, amenities, dining and access to a full range of services.

All CCRCs offer residential housing and amenities, but the range and cost of on-site services vary widely.

A Lifecare community is a CCRC that offers access to full-service housing and a wide range of amenities and programs and access to long-term care, including Assisted Living, Memory Care or Skilled Nursing, should the need arise. Other plans may not offer the same comprehensive package, so understanding the differences in other options will help you make the right decision for you and your family.

There are three types of CCRCs: Type A, Type B and Type C. Each has different financial implications and levels of service, so it is essential to know the differences.

With a Type A contract, you pay an entrance fee, partially refundable to you or your estate when you leave. At New Pond Village, that refund is 90% of your entrance fee. There is also a monthly service fee. Care is available at more predictable rates throughout the continuum of care. In short, when you choose the Type A option at New Pond Village, we promise to care for you for the rest of your life under most circumstances without significantly increasing monthly fees.

These communities provide a residence, services and amenities. Assisted Living and Skilled Nursing care are typically offered in one of two ways: with a limited number of free days of care, as part of the entrance fee, with additional care billed at market rates per service, or an ongoing, minimally discounted rate for care services. Health care services may be available on or off-site, and two monthly fees may be incurred if couples require different levels of care.

A Type C is a fee-for-service community, where housing, services and amenities are provided under the resident agreement. Access to long-term health care, as needed, is typically guaranteed but charged at fee-for-service market rates. If care is required on a short-term basis, to maintain the Independent Living residence, the resident would be required to pay the monthly fee on that residence, plus the costs of housing and health care received in the Assisted Living or Skilled Nursing residence.

At New Pond Village, we offer a second option to the Type A entrance fee/monthly fee structure. This plan provides a lower, non-refundable entrance fee that depreciates 1% a month for 100 months. It’s paid off at the end of 8.5 years. You get the same apartment home choice, pay the same monthly fees and get the same services. It’s perfect for people who want to pay a smaller fee up-front and don’t want or need a refund when they leave. We provide financial flexibility and can find the right payment option to meet your needs.

Lifecare provides access to a continuum of care, with on-site Assisted Living and Memory Care at a more predictable monthly rate for life—based on what you pay for Independent Living.

While all Lifecare communities are CCRCs, not all CCRCs are Lifecare communities. With the rising costs of long-term healthcare, this plan offers peace of mind for the future because if you ever need care, you will know what you will pay and who will provide it. You will also know that once accepted into the Lifecare program, if you have an inadvertent financial setback, we will work with you on an appropriate payment plan.

Substantial tax benefits may be available. As always, you should consult with your tax or financial advisor to guide you through the details of potential deductions.

Several rulings by the United States Internal Revenue Service have established that a portion of your entrance fee and monthly fees may be deductible as a prepaid medical expense. You could take advantage of the tax benefits even if you live independently, requiring little or no health care.

Another benefit of Lifecare is that if you and your loved one have differing care needs, your partner can receive the care they need, and you may stay in the Independent or Assisted Living residence. You will pay one monthly fee.

If you need care but your partner does not, you can move to a different apartment home within the same campus where you can receive the care you need and your partner may stay in the current residence. You will still pay one monthly fee.

Residents must demonstrate adequate physical health to qualify for a Lifecare plan. It is best to take advantage of Lifecare while you are still healthy and independent. Care coverage will begin as soon as you need it and will continue for the rest of your life.