The Summer Internship Program is sponsored by the New Canaan Racquet Club. Waveny LifeCare Network or “WLN,” the nonprofit organization that operates a short- and long-term rehabilitation and skilled nursing facility and memory assisted living residence on Farm Road, an independent living facility on Oenoke Ridge and an adult day program, among other services, last week unveiled plans for a new 150-unit senior living community on town-owned within at Waveny through a long-term land lease agreement. (WLN’s Farm Road campus is also currently leased from the town.)
Presented July 15 to the Town Council as the beginning of what WLN leaders described as a public conversation—not a request for approval regarding the development—plans call for use of approximately 20 acres of the 50-acre “Parcel E,” known by many residents as the “mulch pile” area west of Lapham Road. Those presenting the proposal included WLN President and CEO Russ Barksdale Jr. and Board of Directors members Rich Townsend and Mark DeWaele. (Town Council member Penny Young recused herself from the discussion because she also serves on the WLN board.)
The location offers the best opportunity to address what they described as a longstanding shortage of senior housing while minimizing impacts to the park, they said.
As women reach midlife, the transition through menopause impacts not just immediate comfort, but long-term health, particularly brain health. This discussion moves beyond simply managing hot flashes to a comprehensive strategy for better aging. Join us for an informative and interactive panel discussion that will focus on a proactive, multi-disciplinary approach to menopause and long-term vitality. Our panelists will review the benefits of lifestyle modification for longevity, evaluate current clinical guidelines and recent developments in hormone replacement therapy, discuss alternative approaches to treat menopause and address the connection between menopause and cognitive well-being.
Recent research has shifted the understanding of depression’s role in dementia from not only a symptom, but also a risk factor. In fact, having a history of depression, even decades earlier, is now strongly correlated with a two-fold increase in dementia risk. Join Waveny’s Navigator Program for informative discussions with local clinicians who will explore the link between dementia and depression, address the challenges of delineating between them and review their clinical roles in treating both dementia and depression. The first event will be held March 5th at the New Canaan YMCA.
‘New Canaan There & Then’ is sponsored by Brown Harris Stevens Realtors Bettina Hegel, Joanne Santulli, Dawn Sterner and Pam Stutz. In a somewhat exhaustive 1992 history of Waveny Care Center, the (unknown) authors’ first sentence was as follows:
“In the early 1960’s several New Canaan people became concerned that an increasing number of their neighbors, many of them long time residents who had contributed much to the growth, development and appeal of the community, felt obligated to move out of town because of a lack of appropriate housing accommodations and inadequate support services for the elderly.”
Sound familiar? While dedicated senior housing still remains an elusive goal for New Canaan, Waveny LifeCare Network (formerly Waveny Care Center) has for over 50 years provided much more-than-adequate support services for the elderly, with a continuum of healthcare to serve the changing needs of seniors from New Canaan and beyond. And the history of Waveny LifeCare is fascinating, starting in 1961 when a small highly motivated group of respected town doctors joined with the clergy of seven New Canaan churches to form the Interchurch Service Committee, with the intention of addressing the problem detailed in that first sentence. The Committee was frustrated in its efforts though the ‘60s to find a suitable and available site, and it wasn’t until early in 1969 that the Committee realized that a portion of the estate recently given to the Town of New Canaan by the magnificent Mrs. Ruth Lapham Lloyd might be the answer.
Family members, caregivers, and friends are invited to meet for informative and supportive group sessions to help navigate changes related to memory loss and cognitive decline. Join us at 2:00 pm at the New Canaan Library for our free Caregiver Peer Support Group. This event will be facilitated by Chris DiElsi, a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) and an Alzheimer’s Navigator at Waveny LifeCare Network. Attendees can find guidance, offer support, and ask questions in a safe environment. Each meeting you can expect to:
Discuss and provide coping techniques & strategies
Share stories and experiences of your own journey
Share feelings, needs, and concerns
Learn about community resources
