Where it All Began: Maplewood at Danbury

Happy New Year! We have been reflecting on the last year and looking forward to what is ahead for 2023. This year on the blog we will deliver our usual resources to support caregivers and offer tips and advice to help you as your loved one age. We will also highlight our 15 communities across Connecticut, Massachusetts, Ohio, and New Jersey and introduce you to some of our residents who call our communities home.

This week, we wanted to start at the beginning with our first community, Maplewood at Danbury. Next year will mark our 20^th Anniversary and we owe so much of our success to our humble beginnings.

In 2004, our president and CEO, Gregory D. Smith set out to profoundly change the senior living landscape when he envisioned the first Maplewood Senior Living community. His mother spotted the original property for sale and felt it had great potential for development. Indeed, it did, and once renovated Greg’s grandmother and great-aunt resided in the community.

Across from Danbury Hospital and minutes from the New York border, Maplewood at Danbury is an inspiring community that feels like a cozy country inn. From the moment you arrive, you will experience the familiar comforts of home with the added convenience of a full-time, on-site care team ready to inspire you to live your best life. Each day brings new opportunities, with a calendar full of enriching programs. Like all our communities, Danbury encourages family and friends to visit residents in the beautifully decorated spaces and savor seasonal gourmet dishes prepared by award-winning chefs.

Maplewood at Danbury offers both assisted living and memory care for seniors. The memory care program offers two distinct levels of evidence-based care facilitated by highly trained, compassionate associates. Tides deliver person-centered support, including appropriate cueing and reminders. The details of living are thoughtfully managed so our residents can remain independent and experience the joys of life. Our more structured Currents program is for residents with moderate to advanced-stage memory impairment. Our secure comfortable environment with enriching programs allows our Currents residents to thrive while offering an added level of safety.

While many of our residents move into the community independently, William and his wife Barbara moved into Maplewood at Danbury together and quickly needed different levels of care. William recently sat down with us to tell us how the community helped them and how important our dementia workshops were in providing him with comfort and education as he adapted to his wife’s cognitive decline. 

 “When my wife began showing signs of dementia just after I returned from rehabilitation following a fall, our children felt it would be wise to move into assisted living where we would both have the support we needed. We moved into Vistas at Maplewood together so I could continue to care for her. Sadly, her symptoms progressed faster than we hoped and she became angry and distressed. The team and I decided that she should move into Currents where they could care for her in an environment focused on memory care. Watching Barbara’s decline wasn’t easy but Maplewood offers dementia workshops which helped me cope with her diagnosis. I learned about dementia symptoms, how to communicate with her, and most importantly learned to understand that her behavior was not directed at me personally. When Barbara passed, I was so glad to have this wonderful community around me. It has helped me cope with the loss of my wife and now I help others who are going through a similar situation. The staff cared for my wife beautifully and are such good people. I’m lucky to be here. ” – William

If you are considering moving your parent or a loved one into a senior living community, consider Maplewood at Danbury. Discover for yourself what makes living here so special. Schedule your personalized tour today.