New Hampshire
NH is getting older, but its housing supply isn't keeping up. In Rochester, two new projects are filling that need.
When her husband died in 2021, Lorraine Blanchard didn’t know what to do. It had been a while since she’d lived by herself, and she ended up getting sick and landing in a hospital. When she was released, she moved into a shared room in an assisted living facility.
“I felt it wasn’t my home,” she said, “and I really need to be in my own home.”
Then, Blanchard learned about Champlin Place, a new 65-unit building in Rochester. The low-income independent living community, run by Easterseals New Hampshire, is designed for seniors like her. Blanchard applied and moved in this year.
Blanchard, who has secondary Parkinson’s, gets visits from a home health aide a few times a week, catches rides to an adult day center down the street, and receives deliveries from Meals on Wheels. She can navigate her apartment with her walker. She spends time doing art projects, listening to music and hosting friends.
“This is the place to come,” she said during a recent interview in her apartment, surrounded by boxes of family photos. “There’s no discrimination — everyone accepts each other for who they are.”
But there’s a lot of demand for this kind of living. At Champlin Place alone, the waitlist is more than 100 people long. Across New Hampshire, about one in five people are above age 65, and the population is steadily growing older. But with rents soaring and vacant housing in short supply, seniors with limited incomes face a particular challenge: finding an apartment that’s safe, affordable and aging-ready.
The shortage of affordable housing for older adults reflects the state’s larger housing crisis. Over the last five years, median rent has increased by 36%, according to New Hampshire Housing. Marie Poole, who manages properties and facilities for Easterseals, says some people’s rents have spiked by $400 to $600 a month.
“There are lots of people in the state of New Hampshire that are paying over 50% of their gross income in rent,” Poole said. “It’s a disastrous train wreck about to happen, if anything goes wrong in their lives.”
Before moving into Champlin Place, Rodd Hersey was living in a mobile home in Nottingham. He heated it with firewood that he split and stacked himself. But he was also living with lung cancer, and the wood smoke was becoming dangerous. When his family first suggested Champlin Place, he hesitated.
“You know when you’re an old horse, you don’t like new things,” Hersey said. “But I learned to adapt.”
Hersey requested an apartment with a view onto the woods. In his living room, he’s set up his painting easel by the window.
Rent at Champlin Place costs between $1,100 and $1,400 a month, including utilities. Some residents, including Hersey, receive rental assistance and pay even less.
“I could never have dreamt that I would be in a place that is as nice as this for what I pay,” Hersey said, gesturing towards the kitchen’s granite countertops and new appliances.
Like many senior housing properties, Hersey’s apartment is designed for easy modification in case he starts using a walker or wheelchair. The cabinets under the sink are removable; the doors, windows and cupboards are easy to open. There are communal lounge areas indoors and outdoors to relieve social isolation, and paved walkways to accommodate wheelchairs.
Poole, who manages the property, said many people tell her that worrying less about how to pay medical bills and rent frees up time for the things that give life meaning.
“There are a lot of people here who have commented about how – not only have their lives become easier, they feel a sense of calm here that they did not have before,” she said.
The scarcity of housing like Champlin Place is prompting some seniors to move prematurely into assisted living facilities and nursing homes, which can be five times as expensive as monthly rent. Others stay in their houses even when it’s no longer safe, exposing themselves to health risks and their properties to decline.
Betsey Andrews Parker, the CEO of the Community Action Partnership of Strafford County, said she has seen this firsthand: some seniors live out of one room because they can’t afford to heat their large homes, others can no longer reach second-floor bathrooms and resort to using a bucket instead.
“There are really thousands of residents in New Hampshire who are living this way,” she said, “and people don’t know.”
New Hampshire Housing Director Rob Dapice said some seniors are ready to move into more accessible and affordable units, but it’s not always easy — due to high interest rates, and a shortage of smaller homes and apartments.
“In many cases, downsizing would be prohibitively expensive,” he said.
Thus begins a vicious cycle, Dapice said. Seniors have nowhere to move, so their larger homes and apartments never become available for younger families. Those younger families continue to rent, rather than buy, which puts more pressure on the rental market. As a result, rent for everyone continues to rise.
Efforts to address New Hampshire’s housing shortage have been slow to take shape at the State House. As advocates push to modify zoning rules and make it easier to build from the ground up, some organizations have turned to another strategy: retrofitting existing buildings into senior housing.
In Berlin, developers recently converted a shuttered elementary school into affordable housing. In Laconia, a historic inn became affordable housing for seniors. In Rochester, the Community Action Partnership (CAP) of Strafford County is turning a Victorian mansion called the Gafney Home into 21 small apartments.
Converting a historic property into apartment buildings is often more expensive than a new build. At the Gafney Home, preserving the historic character — oversized windows, ornate fireplaces, stained glass windows — came at a cost. And there were other hurdles: supply chain delays, and retrofitting areas to make them handicap-accessible. The project has run $2 million over budget.
But Andrews Parker, who’s overseeing this work, says the ordeal is worth it.
On a recent tour of the project, she stood inside a two-bedroom apartment that already has a long list of applicants. She teared up imagining who might move in next month: a senior who needs a live-in caregiver, or someone who is still caring for a grown child or grandkids.
“This is exactly the kind of housing we need,” Andrews Parker said. “We need housing that’s beautiful, that’s safe, that people can really age in place in.”
Dover, New Hampshire is finally going to see something go into the old Ames Building, (same plaza as Hannaford) at 833 Central Avenue. It’s not just “something,” it’s a Community space we didn’t know we wanted.
Justin Grondahl is the owner of TRAENE Fitness & Pickleball and he’s opening one here in Dover. He has 63,000 square feet to make beautiful. Justin is the son of the co-founder of Planet Fitness that started right here in Dover, New Hampshire.
Justin spent some time with me here in the Townsquare Studios and told me everything we can expect.
You will not believe what he has in store for this place. It makes me want to move to Dover. (although it’s like my 2nd home – I’m here all. the. time.) Check out what his plans are:
- 10 indoor pickleball courts
- 3,000 Square Foot Classroom for Megaformer Pilates Classes
- 20,000 square feet of just gym equipment
- 2 Cold Plunges
- 3 Saunas, with three floors. Lots of people can fit into them
- Big Locker Rooms
- Red Light Beds
- Massage Chairs
- Massage Beds
- Tanning Booths
TRAENE Recently Added a Peptide Clinic to their Plans
If you are unfamiliar with peptides, they are chains of amino acids that help you heal injuries, build muscles and in some cases, lose weight.
After Justin told me all this, I asked if they will have food and drinks too because it was the only thing I could think of that they didn’t mention! He said, “yes, we’ll have something.”
What’s Up With the Penguin?
When Justin came into the studio, he had a TRAENE branded shirt that included a penguin. When I asked him why a Penguin, he said that it has always been his favorite animal because they are very tied to their Community. They never really leave and they are always together.
READ THIS: 6 Reason’s Why Brown’s Lobster Shack is a NH Seafood Treasure
Justin is already under construction of TRAENE. He said they should be open in the Fall of 2026.
Another incredible perk of being part of the TRAENE community is they are going to pick between 10 – 15 Members of the Month who are going to get rewards like:
- Renting out a race track
- Limo service to Bruins or Celtics games, whichever the member chooses
These trips will be all paid for, all free, Justin said.
New Fitness & Pickeball Center Opening Up in the Fall of 2026 in Dover, NH
As soon as I hear about when TRAENE is opening, I’ll let you know and you and I can get our pickleball team together. Justin did say sometime in the fall, but no specific date.. yet.
8 New Hampshire Restaurants That Closed in January/February 2026
Gallery Credit: Sean McKenna
All Team USA New England Athletes Who Won Medals at the 2026 Winter Olympics
As of Sunday, February 22, 2026, 10 athletes from New England won medals in the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Gallery Credit: Sean McKenna
The New Hampshire Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at Sunday, April 19, 2026 results for each game:
Winning Pick 3 numbers from April 19 drawing
Day: 8-6-2
Evening: 8-8-9
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from April 19 drawing
Day: 7-6-9-2
Evening: 6-5-8-4
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the New Hampshire Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Pick 3, 4: 1:10 p.m. and 6:55 p.m. daily.
- Mega Millions: 11:00 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
- Megabucks Plus: 7:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Lucky for Life: 10:38 p.m. daily.
- Gimme 5: 6:55 p.m. Monday through Friday.
- Millionaire for Life: 11:15 p.m. daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a New Hampshire managing editor. You can send feedback using this form.
New Hampshire
‘Not cosmetic’: NH lawmaker wants state to cover GLP-1 drugs for weight loss – Concord Monitor
Two years ago, Sue Prentiss got a sobering reality check at her doctor’s office. The news was blunt: She qualified for bariatric surgery, a procedure for patients whose weight poses life-threatening risks.
She was aware of her weight and had tried everything from high-intensity workouts to weight loss programs and diets. Nothing seemed to help until she started taking GLP-1 medications.
Prentiss said between then and now, she had lost almost 80 pounds.
But at a $500 out-of-pocket monthly fee, every refill is a financial pinch.
“I’m just getting by, but I’m so much healthier, and if this can work for me, think about everybody else’s life where this would impact,” said Prentiss, a state senator.
To keep up with the cost, she’s made hard choices like cutting back on retirement contributions and squeezing her budget wherever possible.
Now, Prentiss is sponsoring Senate Bill 455, which would require the state to provide GLP-1 medications under the state Medicaid plan as a treatment for people with obesity.
As of January, New Hampshire’s Medicaid program has ended coverage for GLP-1 drugs like Saxenda, Wegovy and Zepbound for weight loss. The state still covers the medications when they’re part of a treatment plan for other chronic conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, certain cardiovascular diseases, severe sleep apnea and Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis (MASH).
According to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, the state paid managed care organizations $49.5 million to cover GLP-1 medications between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026. The policy change in January reduced that cost to $41 million.
With these drugs gaining popularity, the state estimated that if were to resume covering GLP-1s for weight loss, it would need to spend an additional $24.2 million on top of the $41 million per fiscal year.
Jonathan Ballard, chief medical officer at DHHS, said the agency opposes the bill, which would require Medicaid coverage for anyone with a body mass index above 30 seeking GLP-1 medications specifically for weight loss.
Ballard said the state cannot afford such an expansion when budgets are already tight.
“The department does not have this money today,” he said. “So, living within the realities of our current budget, there will be significant trade-offs. We will have to cut other things that are very important to the health and well-being of New Hampshire to pay for this unless there’s some change.”
GLP-1 drugs carry a steep price tag that puts significant pressure on state budgets, particularly within Medicaid programs. Several states, including California, Pennsylvania and South Carolina, have moved to drop coverage of these medications for weight loss.
Prentiss initially drafted her legislation with private insurers in mind, but later pivoted to focus on Medicaid to serve more vulnerable populations. She is covered by commercial insurance and said the outcome of the bill will not personally affect her.
Lost coverage
GLP-1 medications mimic a natural hormone in the gut that helps regulate blood sugar, digestion and appetite.
Sarah Finn, section chief for obesity medicine at Dartmouth Health, said she has seen firsthand the impact on her patients after the state dropped Medicaid coverage for weight-loss GLP-1 drugs.
Without access to these medications, patients experience increased hunger, cravings and persistent “food noise,” as their bodies attempt to return to a higher fat percentage, a process known as metabolic adaptation, she said.
“This is the reality of the state I’m in right now, where I don’t have options except bariatric surgery for my Medicaid patients and a lot of times patients don’t want to do a surgery,” said Finn, at a hearing for the bill on Wednesday. “What I have to tell that patient is there’s nothing I could do to advocate.”
The Department of Health and Human Services faced a $51 million budget cut when the New Hampshire Legislature passed its biennial budget last year, forcing the department to reduce several services.
While Prentiss acknowledges the financial strain on the department, she wants the state to consider the long-term impact of using GLP-1s to prevent chronic conditions like diabetes, which is largely linked to weight gain and can drive up costs for the state over time.
“By driving down obesity, we can drive down the costs that are related to it,” she said.
Prentiss remains on GLP-1 medications and said she feels much healthier than before.
She said that after a few months on the drugs, her blood sugar levels and kidney function began trending toward more normal ranges.
“It’s not cosmetic,” she said. “Obesity is a medical condition.”
-
Pennsylvania6 minutes agoOfficials react to Pennsylvania abortion ruling, Medicaid ban struck down
-
Rhode Island12 minutes agoNothing Bundt Cakes opens first RI bakery
-
South-Carolina18 minutes agoSLED issues Blue Alert for armed, dangerous woman in Midlands
-
South Dakota24 minutes ago
SD Lottery Powerball, Lotto America winning numbers for April 20, 2026
-
Tennessee30 minutes agoTennessee Senate passes ‘CVS bill,’ reshapes pharmacy business as CVS threatens closures
-
Texas36 minutes agoFitness influencer drowns during swimming portion of Ironman Texas
-
Utah42 minutes agoUtah Jazz win coin flip, guaranteed to keep NBA Draft Lottery pick
-
Vermont48 minutes ago
VT Lottery Powerball, Gimme 5 results for April 20, 2026