In their own words.

My wife and I reside happily at StoneRidge, and have been here for 6 years. Management is supported by a team of caring employees, and is responsive to sensible suggestions. Communications are excellent. The Executive Director holds Update meetings with all residents every month, in addition to regular Coffee and Conversation sessions with smaller groups. There is a first-class program of entertainment and activities. Participation is entirely up to the individual resident. We feel that our quality of life and life expectancy have been greatly enhanced by the decision to move from our Rhode Island home to this more relaxed lifestyle.

"You could get a nice condo somewhere for that price. But... would you have friends? Food? Cleaning services? Classes? Medical care? Would someone check on you every day? Would you be lonely? Try to think of the benefits StoneRidge has to offer. You could be living in a lovely place, but very much alone.”

Imagine my surprise when, after months of my doing research for them, my parents told me they were moving to Stone Ridge, sight unseen. You see, my parents lived in NC and I lived in CT. My dad had recently been diagnosed with Parkinson’s and we feared he would soon need more help than my mom could provide. Stone Ridge is the perfect fit for them because my mom can live independently and thrive with her newfound friends and interests while my dad receives quality care just steps away as part of the continuum of care that Stone Ridge and Avalon partner to so excellently provide. Stone Ridge is a vibrant community that is filled with activities and both Avalon and Stone Ridge have staff that deliver and unparalleled level of compassion and service. I am so glad they took a leap of faith and decided to become a part of this wonderful community.

Making a decision to consider a CCRC a 'forever home' is fraught with diverse considerations. Among them are: will we be happy there?; is it too early in our lives?; will we make new friends?; is it cost effective?; will the food and services measure up?; will there be satisfying volunteer, recreational and social opportunities?; will there be a sense of community? To address these questions, we visited five CCRC campuses - two in Florida and three in New England. We kept coming back to the culture of Stoneridge, as well as the quality and warmth of the staff. Ultimately we spent four days at Stoneridge to personally experience the community. Those days made a lasting impression. The result has been our happy transition to our Stoneridge apartment, where we have found positive answers to all of our questions. We couldn't be more satisfied with our new invigorating, yet comfortable life.

For seniors, in particular, the last nine months have been very difficult. I am so impressed the way we at StoneRidge have dealt with this situation. The Executive Director and the entire staff have done a remarkable job in keeping us safe, and have made extraordinary efforts to see that we are given opportunities to relieve the stress providing a variety of "safe" programs to entertain us and keep us well mentally and physically. Their inventiveness is most impressive. The residents, as well, make every effort to see that some of the residents who were alone were invited in small groups to visit with others to talk and enjoy each other. There is a real sense of family that has evolved. What a difference in life here during this time compared to living alone at home with limited social contact and the problems of daily living in these conditions. The relationship between the residents with each other, and the staff is unique. A source of great comfort and peace

My husband has been at Avalon since early July because of complications related to Parkinson's disease. Of course something like this is devastating to a family. However, the staff at Avalon is so good and so caring that they have turned a horrible reality into a reality that we have become comfortable with because we know he is content and well cared for. He and I moved to StoneRidge because of the availability of Avalon in case we needed it, and every day I am more convinced that we absolutely did the right thing.

"My parents, Jane and Charlie Hildreth, moved into StoneRidge almost 2 years ago. They had a robust social life and were moving from a beautiful condo overlooking the water into the “unknown”. After two years, I can truly say this may have been one of the best decisions they ever made! StoneRidge is a magical place! Filled with caring, courteous staff and fellow residents who always show sincere and genuine kindness. Smiles and delightful conversations greet them at every turn. They have immersed themselves in the amazing social fabric StoneRidge provides and they routinely enjoy the wonderful activities offered daily. I told them at one point that moving to StoneRidge was perhaps the greatest gift they could have ever given us as their children. I truly believe this. They talk about the friends they’ve made and the joy they experience with their fellow StoneRidgers all the time. The delicious dinners in the dining room. The casual lunches on the patio in a country club like setting. The choir. The wine and cheese parties. We all love visiting them with the grandchildren and always feel welcomed with open arms by the top-notch staff. I can’t possibly overstate the comfort and peace of mind we have knowing how much Jane and Charlie enjoy living there. It has been an incredible experience. For all of us!"

“My wife and I relocated to StoneRidge from Rhode Island, where there were no comparable retirement communities. StoneRidge has proven to be all we were promised and more. The warm, positive attitude of residents is contagious. We enjoy a wider social circle than expected. We’ve attended far more movies, concerts and exercise classes than anticipated, and have danced more! Come join us.”

“Our first visit to StoneRidge stood in clear contrast to other communities we visited, because of the residents. There’s a palpable warmth and vitality of community here among our residents and staff. It’s seen in all the friendly greetings and conversations, and in the broad participation in the activities offered here and throughout the greater Mystic area. We’re in our second year living in the StoneRidge community and we love it!”

“I’ve been a volunteer in various activities my entire life, so when I came to StoneRidge,
I continued that. I volunteer at the Seaport, which is a wonderful, wonderful place to be. We meet people there from all over the world, and visiting with them is just very enjoyable.”

“The staff are so outstanding here that it's contagious. And when people are nice, you’re nice. We forget how important good manners are, and friendliness is, and gentleness and kindness … and that's what we have here. It's just a lovely place to live.”

“When I first came to StoneRidge, I thought, ‘What have I done?’ But I’ve been here 14 years and I couldn't be happier. I'm very involved and I stay out of mischief, and that's good. I’ve never regretted one day of coming to StoneRidge. It’s been a really rich, wonderful experience.”

“It's a gorgeous area if you'd just like to walk or hike or sit on a bench outside. The water is healing. There's something about the water that restores your soul. I still go sailing. I never thought I'd be sailing at 89, but there you go. Went kayaking a couple of days ago. You can do anything you want here.”

"My parents, Jane and Charlie Hildreth, moved to StoneRidge just about 2 years ago. It has been such a positive experience for them in so many ways! On the social front, they have taken full advantage of all the activities StoneRidge has to offer. Whether it’s singing with the Chorus, enjoying a Fourth of July cookout or the Kentucky Derby party with a great Mint Julep, Jane and Charlie have participated in lots of great events! From a family standpoint, we have been able to visit and enjoy various private family parties with delicious food from the kitchen, stayed overnight in the ‘hotel rooms’ to be able to extend a visit, but even more importantly, we have had peace of mind that they are enjoying a new and easier lifestyle in an elegantly comfortable setting."

A wonderful feature of living at StoneRidge is the enthusiastic support from the administrative team for "Resident-Led Activities." The renovation of an underutilized and cluttered woodworking shop is a case in point. Instigated and led by a group of like-minded residents who put in many hours of designing, planning, cleaning, and just plain hard work, a total restoration of the shop was recently completed. This undertaking, initiated by residents, was fully endorsed and supported by the administration community. It now is clean, bright, beautifully organized and stocked with a myriad of tools, equipment and supplies. Many residents now happily enjoy working on projects in the new woodworking shop.

The billiard Room sat virtually unused and in jeopardy of being converted into a conference room until another resident-led group appealed to the administrative community to give it a face lift. The results are that the venerable old pool table has been completely restored to its former glory, and a new set of pool sticks and new score board have been added to the room. A television for viewing sports and a competitive dart board completed the restoration and it now is a multi-use Game Room enjoyed by many residents. These are but a few of the ways in which the whole StoneRidge community works together to make living here an evolving and wonderful experience.

“Geoff and I thoroughly enjoyed the 20th anniversary party and were mightily impressed with the general camaraderie and the sense of community that included both workers and inmates. A lovely thing to see and feel. The event was so well managed, with dazzling amounts of food and drink, and dancing enjoyed by all sorts, short heartfelt speeches and recognition of the employees joyously received. Well done to all.”