REDDING – Ridge Crest, the health center at Meadow Ridge, has recently promoted two staff to key management positions.
The award-winning health center at one of Connecticut’s most comprehensive continuing care retirement communities, offers assisted living, memory care, sub-acute rehabilitation and skilled nursing.
“Having kind, competent and dedicated associates is at the heart of what makes Meadow Ridge a special place for our residents and their families,” said Chris Barstein, executive director of Ridge Crest at Meadow Ridge.
Maura Nemer is the new assisted living program director and McKenzie Strang is the new memory care programming coordinator.
“Maura has been a constant source of energy, positivity, and creativity since she joined us in 2023 and McKenzie is proving to be cut from that same cloth since arriving in 2024,” Barstein said. “Both of these women have a passion for senior care that residents can feel, which helps build a deep sense of trust We’re proud to promote two individuals who have consistently gone above and beyond in their work.”
Ridge Crest provides an array of services to its residents.
“Residents in Ridge Crest have a wide variety of needs, and we want each and every one of them to receive individualized, personal service. It takes a special team to give our residents the care and attention they deserve along with the expertise to help them live well,” Barstein added.
According to Barstein, Nemer and Strang’s backgrounds align with Ridge Crest’s mission.
“They each have a philosophy toward care that goes beyond their educational and clinical training,” he said. “For Maura, it was her relationship with her grandparents. Three of them lived in assisted living, including one who had dementia. She feels called to this work and it shows.
“McKenzie similarly discovered the skilled nursing environment when visiting a grandparent and Maura loved making connections with older people and getting to know their stories. Empathy is such an important skill in this profession and it’s not something that can necessarily be learned in school. It’s innate and both Maura and McKenzie are great fits for Ridge Crest due, in part, to their empathy.”
As the assisted living program director, Nemer will work directly with residents, their families and the assisted living
and memory care teams, cultivating a vibrant, person-centered life enrichment program that supports the overall well-being of residents in both assisted living and memory care.
As the memory care programming coordinator, McKenzie will implement daily activities for the residents and provide support to her leadership team.
“My favorite part of each day is conversing with the residents I work with. Family members always tell our team that they wish we knew their loved one when they were younger, but for me, I think we are even more fortunate to know them now. The residents are my friends,” said Strang, who trained in habilitation for adults by the Alzheimer’s Association and will begin a master’s program in social work at Quinnipiac University in January.
“Meadow Ridge has always upheld a high standard for leadership. Our leadership team genuinely lives out the values of ‘called to care,’ ‘better together,’ and ‘be the Benchmark.’ These principles are practiced daily,” said Nemer, referencing Benchmark Senior Living that manages Meadow Ridge.
“Throughout my time here, I have been given room to grow and have always felt supported as expectations evolved. Working to develop our memory care neighborhood has been both an honor and a blessing.”
