Benchmark Begins Construction on New Meadow Ridge Assisted Living
Assisted Living Being Relocated & Revamped to Pave Way for Mind & Memory Care Addition
Benchmark Senior Living, a leading provider of senior living services in the Northeast, today announced they have begun construction on Meadow Ridge’s new assisted living neighborhood. Meadow Ridge is one- of Connecticut’s most comprehensive continuing care retirement communities (CCRC) set on a bucolic 136 acres and offering independent living, assisted living and award-winning skilled nursing and rehabilitation.
With an anticipated opening date of early 2022, the new assisted living neighborhood will feature 20 one and two-bedroom apartments capable of serving up to 28 residents. In addition, it will be home to many spacious common areas, including a restaurant-style dining room, recreation room, living area, card room and parlor, library and two secure outdoor patios. It will occupy two floors in the community’s Spruce building.
Assisted living residents will also have access to all the communities many other indoor and outdoor on-campus amenities. Indoors, there are several dining venues offering farm-to-table cuisine, an auditorium hosting live performances, an indoor pool and sauna, a fitness center providing personal training and group exercise classes and a well-stocked library for reading or connecting with other residents. Outdoors, there is a dog park, tennis court, a croquet court, putting green, bocce court, hiking trails, a fishing pond, driving range and gardening areas.
In addition, Meadow Ridge residents choose from approximately 70 different on-site programs each week, including lifelong learning in partnership with Norwalk Community College. Also, nature hikes and bird watching with the Audubon Society, group fitness classes, lectures and off-site trips.
Moving and renovating the community’s assisted living is intended to create space for the new Mind & Memory Care neighborhood. “Over the last decade, we’ve seen increased demand for secure and specialized care for those with Alzheimer’s and other dementias,” said Chris Barstein, executive director of Meadow Ridge. “We are excited to expand our residents’ services to include assisted living for those with memory impairment.”
Throughout its over 24 years, Benchmark has developed expertise in providing senior living experiences for individuals living with memory loss. The program starts with its associates who reflect the company’s culture of caring. Dedicated care providers regularly attend quality trainings, including Benchmark’s nationally award-winning associate and resident communication program, Connect First.
Benchmark Mind & Memory Care works to evoke positive emotions in those with brain disorders and meaningful human connections with residents and their families. Research-based, therapeutic experiences, sensory dining and specially designed living spaces that support cognitive function, emotional health and overall wellness are provided. Care and experiences are offered in a secure, assisted living setting, so residents have enhanced freedom and independence.
In January, Benchmark assumed operational management of Meadow Ridge. Previously, Barstein oversaw the successful addition of Mind & Memory Care to Edgehill, another Benchmark CCRC in Stamford, Ct.
The Meadow Ridge project has been designed by Stein | Troost architecture in Norwalk, Ct., and will be constructed by Stamford-based A.P. Construction. Interiors are being done by Merlino Design Partnership out of King of Prussia, Pa., and will feature a contemporary design with a warm neutral color palette and textures.
“Since we opened Meadow Ridge in 2001, it has always been our intention to provide our residents with the best care and experiences,” said David Reis, chief executive officer of Senior Care Development (SCD), the majority owners of Meadow Ridge. “With the growing numbers of people diagnosed with dementia, we feel this is an important next step for the future of our community.”
For more information, visit MeadowRidge.com.
About Benchmark Senior Living
Benchmark is a leading provider of senior housing in the Northeast, providing independent living, assisted living, memory care, and respite care options in 63 communities and across seven states. The Waltham-based company’s core values of Called to Care, Better Together and Be the Benchmark guide its mission to stay connected to who and what matters most: our residents, their families and our associates.
Benchmark is one of only two companies to be named to The Boston Globe’s Top Place to Work all 13 years that the honor has been given. Throughout its history, Benchmark has continually been recognized as a top workplace. The Great Place to Work Institute certified Benchmark for two straight years, and the company earned a place on FORTUNE’s 50 Best Workplaces in Aging Services list each of the two years that the magazine published the list.
Meadow Ridge
