If you are considering long term care for yourself or your loved one, visit Brandywine Mountain Ridge by Monarch in Watchung for a glimpse of what is possible. The grounds are immaculate, and the interior shared spaces feel like a high-end hotel. There is a refreshment station as soon as you enter, offering fruit infused water; a bright and airy lounge filled with seniors enjoying an organized game of cards and Bingo. The traditional pub with Grand Piano hosts daily happy hours and the occasional wine tasting. And the calendar of events, thoughtfully prepared by Activities Director, Leslie Adams, is jam packed with ”Save the Dates”. Whether it be a meeting of the Literature Club in the Bistro Cafe, Karaoke in the Courtyard, a Cooking Demo in the Dining Room or flower planting in the Garden, all of the spaces here are filled with Life. Laughter. And Love. The seniors that live here are clearly enjoying life together. They watch movies, stroll the manicured walking paths and take group excursions to local shops and restaurants. Brandywine Mountain Ridge knows that you don’t lose your sense of style when you become a senior. As a luxury senior living community, Brandywine promises the highest-quality, most personalized care and support within a beautiful, vibrant environment that caters to the unique tastes, interests and styles of their senior community. Understanding that age does not define experience, Brandywine offers six (6) levels of care, from independent living to assisted living to memory care, all complemented by life enrichment opportunities that are plentiful. There is a definitive culture here, carefully nurtured by a staff of long-term employees and amplified by the seniors themselves. They are living their best lives. Still. This does not happen by accident. A clear differentiator to Brandywine Mountain Ridge is the leadership provided by Executive Director, Nicole Puccia. Having started her career in nursing, she knew early on that she wanted to work with the senior community. “It fulfills me,” she says with great certainty. Having spent time as both the Assistant Director of Nursing and Director of Nursing at Brandywine communities, she has personally overseen residents’ personal care, medical necessities, and the activities of daily living. She understands how important it is for a senior, and their family, to have peace of mind around life care. To that end, Brandywine has licensed nurses on-site 24/7. The care for Assisted Living residents is provided with respect for ability, designed to stay in the background—present when needed, invisible when not. Oftentimes this means assistance with medications, dressing and daily tasks. All the while providing physical and occupational therapy services as needed, to give longevity to independence when possible. Nicole’s nursing expertise is second only to her leadership. She has empowered her team and the residents to contribute to the culture and success of the facility. She leads a robust number of department heads, nurse aides, dining staff, grounds people and hospitality personnel. She takes care of the people - that take care of the people. While still serving as the Director of Nursing, the role of Executive Director became available. She was nervous for the interview – but when she left her office to go meet the Regional Director, the halls were lined with staff members offering her their resounding endorsement. Many of the employees here have ten, fifteen, even twenty years of tenure. They stay because of the culture sustained by her continued leadership. They stay because she gives them her trust, and a voice. The workplace satisfaction and continuity is felt by the residents. They all have favorite aides and favorite waiters they look forward to seeing every day. The voice of the residents is heard too. There is a Resident’s Council and a Dining Experience Committee, both meeting regularly to share their feedback and effectuate change when needed. And then there are the families of the residents. Nicole understands the emotional toll long term care decisions can have on the families of loved ones. She spends time with each one, holding weekly meetings and calls as they navigate needs and services. She sends out weekly communications to both residents AND their families as a means of transparency and connectivity. Brandywine Mountain Ridge often hosts family and community events, where everyone is invited to attend and participate together. There are private dining and visiting spaces so loved ones can have quality time outside of a resident’s room – but without leaving the facility. I spoke to Elio, a resident of Independent Living while his wife is a resident of Memory Care. Brandywine offers them the ability to be together, while living in different rooms suited for their individual needs. Elio is an avid card player and often drives to Warren to honor the weekly game he started with friends when living there. Now, he hosts games three times a week to meet the demand of the residents, now his friends.
Article by Terry Azad
Photography by Provided
Originally published in Scotch Plains City Lifestyle