Waveny LifeCare Network Marks 50 Years at Ceremony

Fifty years ago, Waveny Care Center served 70 patients per day in one program.

Today, Waveny LifeCare Network serves nearly 1,000 patients, residents and clients across 23 distinct service lines, according to the organization’s president and CEO, Russ Barksdale, Jr.

“Our journey speaks volumes about our dedication to quality and adaptability,” Barksdale told an estimated 70 community leaders last week, gathered to help celebrate the organization’s 50th anniversary this year.

“Waveny LifeCare Network will and must continue to evolve to meet the dynamic and changing healthcare needs of our communities and our constituents,” Barksdale continued at the ceremony, held April 9. “It is in our DNA. Looking ahead, I’d like to take a moment to discuss our next phase and seek your active engagement and support. Each of you has played a part in our past and we need your full involvement and active engagement to shape an even brighter future together. We each have a role to play. For our team, it is their calling. We receive daily inquiries into expanding senior housing options due to the increasing senior population and their desire to have appropriately designed and active adult programming to support aging-in-place. I’m pleased to confirm that we are actively exploring alternatives and will keep you updated as progress unfolds.”

Waveny staff and volunteers, town officials, state representatives and nonprofit leaders in New Canaan gathered on “Main Street” at the organization’s Farm Road campus for “Celebrating 50 Years of Waveny.” Events marking the milestone included a to-go breakfast for overnight staff, employee appreciation lunch, employee service ceremony with cake and volunteer appreciation ice cream social. Those attending the morning ceremony also had refreshments and watched a video about Waveny’s history playing on a loop.

During the ceremony led by Barksdale, state Rep. Lucy Dathan (D-142nd) and state Sen. Ceci Maher (D-26th) addressed the crowd and read proclamations. First Selectman Dionna Carlson and Selectman Amy Murphy Carroll were among the municipal officials in attendance.

“Waveny has had a transformative history,” Waveny Chief Sales, Marketing & Advancement Officer Terry Henry told NewCanaanite.com. “We started as just a skilled nursing center that was built by New Canaanites. And over time we’ve evolved and elevated the organization to include independent living, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing. home care, hospice, telemedicine. We have a nursing school now that’s been recognized by the state of Connecticut.”

Waveny also has earned recognition and awards from a national association of assisted living and skilled nursing facilities, and in 2022 won the social accountability award from Leading Age for establishing the nursing school “because we employ folks who are, in some cases, economically disadvantaged,” Henry said.

“And in 2023, we won the award for technological innovation by implementing telemedicine in our skilled nursing facility, which is rare,” he continued. “We also won an award from the Connecticut Assisted Living Association just four months ago relating to staff retention for the nursing school and for yeah for the nursing school. So we want a lot of accolades from the state level.”

Asked what marking a half-century means to Waveny, Henry noted that it is “in and of itself is a great milestone.” 

“However, the most important thing for us is not necessarily just what we are now and how we’ve evolved, but what we are becoming,” he said. “Waveny is a non-profit. But understand that we operate as a for-profit and compete against for-profits. So it’s essential that we run a really tight ship operationally, financially and in terms of the relationships we have with our constituents, our volunteers, our staff, our families, our patients, our residents and all of our community partners. And so for us, what we are becoming is critically important because that’s That will define the services that we’re able to offer for families in the future when they’ll continue to need us.”

Barksdale gave some idea of what Waveny has in the short-term, saying that despite capacity constraints, especially in short-term rehab, “We are assessing the addition of 30 private rehab beds to our campus and expanding parking capacity here at 3 Farm Road.”

“The initiative will require significant financial investments and we call upon donors and supporters to join us in this important effort,” he said.

Barksdale noted that more than 120 students have already passed through Waveny’s certified nursing aide school and that the organization has “plans for a licensed practical nursing school by 2025.”

“We are grateful for the ongoing work of our state representatives in this endeavor,” he said. “With the support of New Canaan’s officials, the expansion of telemedicine has played a vital role in preventing hospital readmissions and providing specialist care to our patients. Additionally, a future collaboration with MIT-Sloan to integrate artificial intelligence into our electronic medical records and systems has the potential to enhance predictive treatments for chronic conditions associated with aging. Thankfully, our services remain in high demand.”

Rone Baldwin, chair of Waveny’s Board of Directors, noted that the organization arose out of necessity in the early-1960s when “a group of concerned New Canaan residents noticed a growing issue: many longtime neighbors, who are integral to our community’s fabric, were being forced to leave the area due to a lack of suitable senior housing and critical supportive services.”

“In 1969, Mrs. Ruth Lapham Lloyd generously donated part of her Waveny estate for healthcare purposes, setting the stage for what stands before us today,” Baldwin said. “The essence of Waveny’s success lies in the collaboration of three key elements: engaged neighbors, dedicated town officials, and generous donors. Coupled with experienced, high-quality and highly trained professionals, this synergy forms the bedrock of Waveny’s reputation as a distinguished leader in our industry. It’s not just about providing care; it’s about fostering a sense of community and innovation in healthcare, ensuring that our residents receive the best possible support right here at home.”