The best of Senior Living & Eldercare Advertorial

THE BEST OF SENIOR LIVING & ELDERCARE AN ADVERTORIAL RESOURCE GUIDE

IT’S AN HONOR TO SERVE

THOSE WHO SERVED Each year on Veterans Day, our communities pay special tribute to those who served in the armed forces. Their fierce camaraderie is contagious and their experiences inspiring.

The Bristal salutes the many men and women among our ranks who dedicated themselves to the cause of freedom. Our thanks should be felt and heard, especially at this time of year.

ARMONK

WHITE PLAINS

914.229.2590

914.215.5820

For a list of all locations in the tri-state area, visit: THEBRISTAL.COM

AN ENGEL BURMAN COMMUNITY

S2 | THE BEST OF SENIOR LIVING & ELDERCARE | NOVEMBER 7, 2022

Licensed by the State Department of Health.

Eligible for Most Long Term Care Policies. Equal Housing Opportunity.

THOUGHTS ON EMPATHY

By Maria Scaros, Executive Director, The Greens at Greenwich

tive” course of study which minimizes its importance in the field of caring for another human being in times of crisis.

We often forget that communion with another fellow human being requires empathy. We all can have an equal partnership with our mind and our heart.

One need not discard one for the other.

We need both. Empathy sits at the core of both our mind and our heart.

Being human, in its purest form, is being aware of the life within and outside ourselves. How are we in the world and how do we choose to live? Learning to

listen to ourselves and to our emotions helps us to become self-aware and able to connect to ourselves and to others.

We are social animals. We seek harmony, connection, and love. In a time when hate speech has become the norm, we need to take a hard look inward at ourselves and outward to our world.

We need each other to survive and the quality in which we connect ensures the quality of our survival. This emotional connection is empathy, and it will secure our survival as a species in a complex and everchanging world.

Britta and Kate with arms around each other.

Maria & Harry dancing.

T

o be human is to have the ability to offer empathy to another, to feel what another is feeling and to offer comfort and a healing presence. At this time, empathy is difficult to access or recognize. Anger and distrust are affecting our efforts to connect with one another.

Our society has entered an era of darkness. I cannot help but recall a quote from my favorite author, William Shakespeare, “Now is the winter of our discontent.”

(Richard the III).

Fortunately, I am not as cynical as I sound. Humanity overall is the most extraordinary of species and can easily see themselves in another’s shoes, feel another’s pain and put another before themselves. Humans have sacrificed their lives for strangers without a second thought and forgiven unspeakable atrocities. Empathy saves us. Empathy lifts us out of our self-imposed darkness. When we become still and listen, our ability to empathize rises. It moves from our intelligent mind to our intelligent body to our intelligent heart and to our intelligent soul. In a mechanized world, we often forget our simplest and greatest gifts.

It is a matter of survival. Empathy is considered a “soft skill.” Medical professionals take it in school as an “elec-

DISCOVER HARMONY • Accredited by the Connecticut Assisted Living Association and the Alzheimer’s Association as a Purple Flag Community recognized for excellence in dementia care • Recognized leader in providing the creative arts therapies as a means of communication and connection • Privately owned small memory care assisted living residence located conveniently on the Greenwich/Westchester border

SCHEDULE A TOUR TODAY Maria Scaros, Executive Director • 203.531.5500 • mscaros@thegreensatgreenwich.com • thegreensatgreenwich.com

NOVEMBER 7, 2022 | THE BEST OF SENIOR LIVING & ELDERCARE | S3

THE GREATEST GIFT: MAKING THE MOVE TO MEADOW RIDGE Jane McCaffrey’s parents moved to a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) when they were in their 80s.

“That’s when my mom said, ‘Go when you’re 75. It’s too much fun to miss,’” recalled Jane. She followed her mother’s advice and moved to Meadow Ridge’s Independent Living neighborhood in 2017.

It’s a decision she has never regretted.

“I’m really glad I came when I did,” she said.

THE BEST GIFT FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY

Meadow Ridge is a CCRC in Redding, Connecticut, that offers everything an individual could want in a fulfilling retirement experience while also relieving the burdens of home ownership and worries that come with aging.

Jane said moving here was the right choice for her and her husband, Timothy, who passed away in 2019. It was also the best gift they have ever given their three children.

“They are absolutely delighted that they don’t have to worry about me,” said Jane.

When they come to visit, Jane’s children and eight grandchildren can focus on spending quality time with her rather than helping with home repairs.

Jane said she and Tim were happy to make the move to Meadow Ridge when caring for the large house they had built in Redding stopped being enjoyable.

“Tim loved being here. He loved having the weight of the home taken off his shoulders and not being responsible,” she said. “You don’t have to worry about pipes leaking, a tree branch falling, getting someone to mow your lawn or getting the snow plowed. You don’t have to worry about anything.”

THE SECURITY OF FUTURE CARE

Another matter Jane and her children don’t have to worry about is health care costs and accessibility if her care needs should change. In addition to Independent Living, Meadow Ridge’s 136-acre campus also includes Assisted Living, Memory Care, Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation.

Jane chose to move to Independent Living when she was still young and healthy. This made her eligible for Lifecare, which guarantees her access to Meadow Ridge’s full continuum of care at a predictable monthly fee. As the cost of health care

Meadow Ridge residents Jane McCaffrey and Joan Kaskell became fast friends while working on the community’s literary publication “Ridge Record.” The two share a love of opera and enjoy attending HD Metropolitan Opera performances at nearby Fairfield University.

continues to rise, Lifecare ensures that her monthly rates will remain comparable to what she has already budgeted, even if she needs additional support.

FAMILY IS ALWAYS WELCOME

Apartment homes at Meadow Ridge come in varying sizes and floor plans, but all are bright, beautiful and spacious enough for welcoming guests. Last year, Jane hosted eight people for Christmas dinner.

“We had a wonderful Christmas in my apartment,” she said. Her full kitchen is big enough to cook an entire meal, but they opted to have the Meadow Ridge culinary team prepare one instead.

Jane’s second bedroom is well used by visiting children and grandchildren. She has even hosted some of her grandchildren for weeks at a time so they could attend a day camp at nearby New Pond Farm and enjoy all the community’s top-tier amenities.

“They loved swimming in the pool and eating in the dining room. It was a lot of fun,” she said.

S4 | THE BEST OF SENIOR LIVING & ELDERCARE | NOVEMBER 7, 2022

ALWAYS A FULL SCHEDULE

As a resident of Meadow Ridge, Jane is never absent something to do or people to do it with.

A retired CPA, Jane has leadership roles on several of Meadow Ridge’s resident committees. There are about 20 such committees at the community that help make decisions on everything from activities and dining to marketing and groundskeeping.

Jane’s role as design and layout editor of the Ridge Record, a literary publication by, for and about the community’s residents, connected her with Joan Kaskell.

The publication’s editor is now one of her closest Meadow Ridge friends. One of their favorite activities besides recruiting new contributors to their publication is attending HD Metropolitan Opera performances at Fairfield University.

“Joan and I go to all of those,” she said.

Jane also has a group of friends she goes walking with every morning before breakfast, another group that she gets together with to watch their favorite television series and yet another that she volunteers with at

the nearby Mark Twain Library.

Trips to New York City for live entertainment — either as part of a Meadow Ridge group or with other friends and family — are also a regular part of Jane’s social calendar. The train station is just a sixminute drive from her apartment, and she can get to Grand Central Station in an hour and 40 minutes.

A COMMUNITY OF FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS

Throughout her husband’s illness and his passing, Jane has felt very supported by the community.

“There are so many people here who have experienced the same thing,” she said.

The aging process naturally brings loss of loved ones and friends. But a 99-year-old Meadow Ridge resident who Jane recently befriended said something that has helped her come to terms with these hardships. “‘The wonderful thing is you’re going to meet new people and meet new friends,’ she told me. That’s my mantra.”

The height of senior living.

A beautiful gift for you and your family.

Our residents say moving to Meadow Ridge is the greatest gift they have ever given their children. They are experiencing the height of retirement living and making enduring friendships in an enriching community. Their families have received peace of mind knowing if or when their loved one needs more support, care will be provided right here on campus at a predictable cost.

To schedule a private tour, call 203-408-1286 or visit MeadowRidge.com

Independent Living Assisted Living Memory Care Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation

100 Redding Road | Redding, CT 06896 Managed by Benchmark Senior Living

NOVEMBER 7, 2022 | THE BEST OF SENIOR LIVING & ELDERCARE | S5

AT WARTBURG, YOU CAN LIVE YOUR BEST LIFE W

artburg is unlike any retirement community you have ever seen before. We believe that the quality of life is as important as the quality of care. Wartburg’s gated, lush 34-acre campus with 24-hour security is tucked behind a quiet residential neighborhood near the Mount Vernon-Pelham border. Since its beginnings as an orphanage more than 150 years ago, to the award-winning, comprehensive older adult care community, Wartburg offers a gold standard of living and care options.

Safety is always a priority at Wartburg. As we emerge from the shadow of Covid-19, Wartburg observes all federal and state mandated protocols to protect the health and safety of its staff and residents. We remain vigilant and dedicated to creating a community of care where seniors can avail themselves of the benefits of an urban lifestyle in a park-like setting, with the peace of mind that comes from knowing there is a team ready to help them as their needs change.

Whether you need temporary assistance or ongoing services, Wartburg has the support you need to live independently for as long as possible in a community that cares. We offer everything from independent senior living and assisted living options to nursing home facility. We also offer adult day care, palliative care, hospice care and

respite care. If you live independently, but require assistance, we offer in-home support for your daily needs and can also provide rehabilitation and skilled nursing services.

At Wartburg, you can age in place gracefully and secure that your health and safety are our priority. At Wartburg, you can live your best life.

One Wartburg Place, Mount Vernon, NY 10552 | 914-699-0800 | www.Wartburg.org S6 | THE BEST OF SENIOR LIVING & ELDERCARE | NOVEMBER 7, 2022