Jackson County is already a great place to retire, and with the addition of The Hermitage — the region’s newest assisted living community — it’s now a perfect place to take care of an aging loved one.

Situated just outside Dillsboro’s historic downtown a stone’s throw from the banks of the Tuckasegee River, The Hermitage Assisted Living and Memory Care Center boasts beautiful mountain views and a unique memory care unit for residents suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia-related problems. The 4-acre campus will be home to a 30,000-square-foot facility that will eventually house 90 residents, 46 in an assisted living wing and 44 in the memory care retreat center.

Allen Osborne, president of the operation’s management company, Third Street Management of Hickory, said there was a pressing need for an assisted living community in the mountains of Western Carolina.

“I’ve talked to the local skilled nursing facility; they have a lot of residents appropriate for this level of care as soon as we open,” he said.

Osborne said because more than 70 percent of people who live in assisted living communities move from within a 30-minute drive of their previous residence, he expects The Hermitage to draw from the Smoky Mountain region.

“That proximity makes it more likely for people’s family to be able to visit and spend time,” Osborne said. “That’s important for any residents, but especially for memory care residents. It does wonderful things for the residents, and also wonderful things for the family.”

Named for Andrew Jackson’s homestead, The Hermitage seeks to create a rustic mountain lodge feel for its residents, who will benefit from close partnerships with Harris Regional Hospital and Western Carolina University to provide high quality medical care and social programs.

Osborne said the aim of the memory care facility is to treat each moment as an opportunity to instill well being in its residents.

“We talk about creating five minutes of joy in the memory care facility,” he said. “If you do that several times, by that time you’ve created a very nice day for someone.”

Nanette Harden, administrator for The Hermitage, said her staff is focused on working with residents and their families to ensure the transition to an assisted living situation is as comfortable as possible.

“A lot of families struggle with the decision. They might know this is something that needs to happen but they have that anxiety about the separation,” said Harden. “We’re here not just for the residents but for the family as well.”

The Hermitage is designed to be a communal home for its residents, not just a care facility. In addition to two large courtyards and a secure recreation space, the campus has two spas, a library, and two specially designed spaces with individual design motifs — Jackson’s General Store and Rachel’s Garden.

Jackson’s General Store is a gathering space with a rustic décor and Rachel’s garden, named after Old Hickory’s beloved wife, is a softer space that embodies Rachel Jackson’s sensibilities.

“President Jackson and his wife Rachel were constantly reinventing their home, from a two-story log cabin to a brick Federal style home, and after Rachel’s death, into a Greek Revival style structure. But they always maintained a sense of home and hearth, a comfortable retreat from the worries of the world,” said Harden.

One look at The Hermitage is enough to know that it’s a space designed for living, not sitting idly in an antiseptic bedroom.

The complex even has its own beauty salon where licensed cosmetologists can come to offer their services.

“If someone’s been getting their hair done by someone for 30 years, they can come up and utilize that space,” Harden said.

“They’re still going to have an active lifestyle. We have a great activity program planned working with local churches and with Western Carolina. It’s going to be a peaceful place to live and a wonderful place for families to come visit,” said Harden.