The Highlands sits at 30 Governors Way in Topsham, Maine, covering a 75-acre wooded campus in the historic district, right across the Androscoggin River from Brunswick and Bowdoin College, and Portland's less than 25 miles away, so the location draws many who want a quiet setting but easy access to services and activities around town. This place offers independent living, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing, estate homes, and cooperative apartment options, giving people choices as their needs change, and the staff provides 24-hour care for those who need help with things like dressing, bathing, or medication, especially in supported living and memory care at the Governor King Community for Alzheimer's and dementia, while Cadigan Lodge has one-bedroom homes with kitchens and en-suite bathrooms for assisted living.
The campus has private one- and two-bedroom apartments, single and duplex estate homes, and cooperative apartments, all with maintenance-free living, housekeeping, linen, laundry, and groundskeeping, and some homes offer breakfast nooks, dining patios, and guest rooms. Residents use elevators and ramps for easy access, and those with pets can find six pet-friendly options around the community. The Main Lodge hosts independent living residents, and The Highlands Gardens and The Highlands Library give places for both quiet relaxation and reading or small gatherings. There's no parking facilities, so anyone visiting needs to know that before arriving.
The Highlands has a big focus on healthy living and social engagement, offering daily meals, all-day Graceful Dining™ with weekly menus, fitness programs with two full-time personal trainers, religious services, craft rooms, and a heated indoor saltwater swimming pool for swimming, water aerobics, and fitness classes. Residents join daily activities such as yoga, tai chi, billiards, ping pong, book groups, personal training, hiking on about three miles of nature trails, and even golfing at Highland Green Golf Club nearby. There are beauty salons and a barber shop on site, plus a fitness center and therapy pool, movie theatre, and plenty of places outdoors to walk or gather, with Friends of The Highlands Trails providing extra outdoor activity and a clear trails map. People with an interest in arts and culture can visit galleries, museums, and performing arts venues, and the calendar includes special celebrations throughout the year.
Residents enjoy outings like boat cruises, canoe trips, photography or wildlife tours, and shopping and dining in the area, and Highlands organizes tours of Maine's lighthouses, forts, and covered bridges, so there's something for nearly every taste, whether someone likes gardens or history or just wants to relax by the big windows and take in forest views. Highlands has a strong interest in environmental care, with solar panels, composting, and recycling part of the routine, and supports all residents with an onsite medical center, physician, and therapist. Specialized programs, including Graceful Respite Stays and a Living Gracefully philosophy, support people and their caregivers through transitions in health.
Resources for families and residents include glossaries, documentaries, and planning guides to help navigate care options, and there's a clear focus on assisting older adults as their needs change, giving people the chance to stay in familiar surroundings through independent living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled care if needed. There's a community feel, and the campus includes gardens, outdoor paths, interior and exterior views, and space for both quiet and activities with other residents, making the Highlands a place with many options rather than a one-size-fits-all setting.
