Read Our Community Blog
March 15, 2025
2024 Family Survey Results Dear Shady Oaks Family, This letter shares final results from our 2024 Family Survey. So far, we received 35 replies for the […]
March 10, 2025
Bristol Press Opinion Page 8/9 March 2025 Connecticut has lost about 10% of its nursing homes since 2020. This raises the question of how we […]
February 2, 2025
2024 Improvements Shady Oaks Family, We feel proud to share our 2024 review and invite family surveys. Last year, we hired and kept great staff, fought […]
January 10, 2025
Why do people choose Shady Oaks Assisted Living? People choose Shady Oaks when they prioritize strong nursing care in a cozy and loyal home. We are […]
December 28, 2024
Costs of Assisted Living Care As our loved ones age, families are often faced with the delicate task of finding the right care. One of the […]
March 25, 2024
2023 Family Survey Results Dear Shady Oaks Family, This letter shares early results from our 2023 Family Survey. So far, we received 36 replies for the […]
February 13, 2024
Best Geriatric Care Managers A geriatric care manager (GCM) is a private pay expert and advocate who advises, assists, and leads care plans for disabled persons, […]
February 13, 2024
2023 Improvements Shady Oaks Family, Last year, my relative was a resident, but she passed at a hospital. She felt frustrated by the hospital’s bad care. […]
January 3, 2024
Best Elder Law Attorneys Elder law attorneys provide specialized legal services for seniors. This December 2023 blog describes basic legal tools, some advanced tools, and our […]
November 21, 2023
How To Find Senior Care I bought Shady Oaks Assisted Living from my parents in 2016. Before that, I served three tours in Iraq as a […]
November 20, 2023
Virtual Senior Care Fair 2023 We recently hosted a Shady Oaks Assisted Living booth at the Bristol and Farmington senior care days. They were great days […]
August 7, 2023
Awards 2023: Best of Bristol, Among Best Hartford, Among Best New Haven In 2023, Bristol Press Readers voted us Best Assisted Living Near Bristol, CT Insider […]
March 5, 2023
2022 Family Survey Shady Oaks Family, Thank you! We sent 56 anonymous 2022 surveys to our current and recent resident families. So far, we received 32 […]
February 12, 2023
2022 Improvements Shady Oaks Family, Please we wish to share our annual update. With effort, luck, love, and an SBA loan, we did well. We fought […]
July 25, 2022
Bristol Press Readers Voted Us Best Assisted Living 2022!!! & The New Haven Register Listed Us Among the Best Local Assisted Living Homes for 2022 Shady […]
March 21, 2022
Shady Oaks Assisted Living 2021 Improvements Shady Oaks Family, Please I wish to share our annual update. I saved sending it until after our winter COVID […]
March 3, 2022
2021 Family Survey Shady Oaks Family, We sent 60 anonymous 2021 surveys to our current and recent resident families. We received 37 replies. Please we […]
December 10, 2021
Connecticut Humanitarian Home of the Year 2021 Shady Oaks Assisted Living deserves recognition for its innovative and unique layered Resident Care defense against COVID-19. 0 residents […]
December 20, 2020
Customer Recommendations, Family Survey 2020 Dear Shady Oaks Community, This letter shares results from our 2020 Family Survey. So far, we received 31 replies of […]
December 10, 2020
COVID Vaccine What We Know Shady Oaks Community, COVID vaccinations will soon be here. I want to share what we know of them so far: What […]
November 22, 2020
Shady Oaks Assisted Living 2020 Improvements 22 November 2020 Dear Shady Oaks Community, In previous years, I wrote annual letters to share updates about our staffing […]
August 7, 2020
Shady Oaks “Bubble” Media Spots Shady Oaks Bubble Media Spots Connecticut Magazine (7 July): Link NBC Connecticut (30 May): Link NPR Here & Now (18 May): […]
May 23, 2020
Community Letter May 2020 Shady Oaks Community, We are proud to report on-site caregiving helped us through our local COVID-19 surge without any infections. Our home […]
April 8, 2020
“Senior home workers could stay on-site during crisis” By Tyson Francis Belanger www.shadyoaksassistedliving.com The Hartford Courant Saturday April 4, 2020 Opinion Page As the owner of […]
April 1, 2020
Shady Oaks Assisted Living Best Defense Against COVID-19 What is the best defense? Shady Oaks is a small family-owned assisted living home in Bristol, Connecticut. We […]
March 31, 2020
Preparations Against COVID-19 Dear Shady Oaks Community, This letter shares important updates for our home. A highly contagious and lethal disease, COVID-19, we will fight it. […]
December 20, 2019
2019 Family Survey Results Dear Shady Oaks Community This letter shares final results for our 2019 In-Home Family Survey. We received 30 replies to 53 anonymous […]
September 28, 2019
Shady Oaks Assisted Living 2019 Improvements Dear Shady Oaks Community, This letter provides an update on our home improvements since our prior mid-2018 update letter. We […]
May 1, 2019
Nursing Appreciation & Recognition In 2019, the Connecticut Assisted Living Association Awarded an Outstanding Resident Service Award (Honorable Mention) to Supervising Nurse Debbie Jawin-Sheak. Dear Shady […]
December 1, 2018
Enrolled ALSA’s & MRC’s Updated as of 12/12/2018 PARTICIPATING PRIVATE FACILITIES (PILOT) To view the full list of facilities click here.
November 10, 2018
Welcome Home Bristol Press November 2018 It feels like a bed and breakfast where nobody wants to, or is asked to check out. However, three square […]
June 15, 2018
Customer Recommendations, Family Survey 2018 Dear Shady Oaks Community, We are grateful to those who answered our 2018 survey. I sent 57 surveys to families of […]
May 15, 2018
Medicaid Toolkit This blog shares helpful resources for seeking Medicaid supported senior care. I am not an expert, but I want to be helpful. If I […]
April 17, 2018
Shady Oaks Assisted Living 2018 Improvements Dear Shady Oaks Community, We are making great progress. This letter offers an update since my prior December 2016 […]
December 26, 2017
Shady Oaks is a Cozy, Caring Assisted Living Center Bristol Press Feature Article 26 December 2017 Written by JUSTIN MUSZYNSKI BRISTOL – Shady Oaks assisted living […]
August 15, 2017
Intro to Home Care My father recently needed home care health services after returning home from Bristol Hospital. Over 700 Connecticut businesses and organizations provide in-home […]
April 15, 2017
Connecticut Pays Your Nursing I found a program that helps people in need to afford assisted living services. Its name is the Connecticut Private Pay Assisted […]
February 15, 2017
Customer Recommendations, Family Survey 2017 *Results are updated and complete as of 31 March 2017.* Dear Shady Oaks Community, We value your feedback. We especially thank […]
January 15, 2017
How To Apply for VA Pensions Over 70% of men over age 80 are veterans. Many women seniors are veterans, veteran spouses, or widows. This […]
December 15, 2016
Update on Renovations & Wellness at Shady Oaks Assisted Living in CT Dear Shady Oaks Community, We have made great progress. In my 15 June letter, […]
November 15, 2016
Bristol Press November 2016 Upholding Values Shady Oaks celebrates 40 years Connecticut PRIME TIME • November 2016 Story by Erica Schmitt | Photos by Mike Orazzi […]
October 15, 2016
Finding a Great Doctor for Senior Care Our in-home visiting doctor, Dr. Nadeem Behjet, recently retired. We feel grateful for his many years of medical service […]
September 15, 2016
Bristol Senior Center Bristol, Connecticut cares for its seniors, ages 55 and over. Seniors in neighboring towns (Unionville, Farmington, Plainville, Southington, Wolcott, Plymouth, Harwinton, or Burlington […]
August 15, 2016
History of Senior Care Seniors go to hospitals for emergencies, but where should they go for long-term senior care? As they live longer, what goals and […]
July 15, 2016
Our Family Dear Shady Oaks Community, My name is Tyson Francis Belanger. I am Vernon and Kay Belanger’s youngest son. My parents began caring for seniors […]
Read Our Guest Blog
Below you will find blog posts from our third-party contributors
April 17, 2025
No two seniors are the same. From medical needs to personal preferences, each resident brings their own unique story, challenges, and aspirations. That’s why personalized care […]
April 16, 2025
Moving into assisted living can be a meaningful step toward greater support and well-being, but it’s also a significant life change. With thoughtful preparation and senior […]
July 4, 2023
How to Support Seniors Suffering from Re-Location Stress An older loved one recently transitioned from living in their home to an assisted living facility. You thought […]
June 29, 2023
How To Choose Home Care Versus Living In an Assisted-Living Community? Aging brings a mature perspective on life, and it also brings numerous physical and cognitive […]
June 24, 2023
Planning for Aging Parents and What Type of Care They May Need We all want to live as independently as possible for as long as possible. […]
June 22, 2023
The Importance of Community and Friendships for Seniors in Assisted Care Friendship and socialization are important for people of all ages, but friends and community are […]
October 31, 2022
Five Halloween Activities for Seniors Some favorite senior activities at this time of year center around the fall holidays, especially Halloween. Autumn already brings exciting things […]
October 31, 2022
Most people who struggle with stress know that it can manifest in physical ways and contribute to health problems. Even so, sufferers greatly underestimate the long-term […]