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 COVID, made key renovations, and earned several prestigious recognitions.

We hired three key staff members:

1. We welcomed Laurie Ranous to be our Evening RN (12-8pm).  Laurie has been a nurse for 27 years.  Before joining us, she served as Director of Nursing at Apple Rehab in Plainville.
2. We welcomed Jason Garcia as second chef.  He has been a chef for over 20 years.  Before joining us, he was Sous Chef for the Greens at Cannondale and Artis Senior Living.
3. We welcomed Milissa Burnett to lead our upcoming in-home Shady Oaks Hospice Agency.  She has been an RN for 26+ years and a home health agency administrator for 10+ years.

In 2024, Shady Oaks had better staffing than any other Connecticut assisted living.  We had 1 full-time registered nurse for every 14 residents, plus 1 CNA per 7 residents from 6am to 10pm.  

Our staff did very well in protecting our home from contagious diseases.  Shady Oaks had 3 resident cases of COVID, 0 cases of flu, and 0 cases of RSV this past year.  Meanwhile, Bristol’s five nursing homes reported 265 resident cases of COVID, including 8 resident COVID deaths.

For long-term investment in our home, we made these important renovations: 

We added a memorial tree with the names of all 220 residents who lived here since 2016.
We installed a $20,000 irrigation system to protect our lawn during extended droughts.
We replaced the old tall trees along the parking lot after a summer storm weakened them.
We upgraded our front porch with tile, pillars, a decorative wall, and a television display.

Our home enjoyed three high recognitions in 2024: 

1. The Connecticut Assisted Living Association (CALA) awarded the 2024 Distinguished Service Award to our CNA, Maria Torres.  This is the highest award CALA gives each year.  Maria is a top CNA, and she also serves as back-up for our chefs, housekeeping, and recreation.   
2. The Small Business Administration named us Connecticut family-owned business of 2024.  U.S. Senator Blumenthal, State Sen. Martin, Mayor Caggiano, State Rep. Pavalock-D’Amato, State Rep. Hoxha, and State Rep. Demicco all visited our home for this once in a lifetime award.
3. Bristol Press readers voted us “Best of Bristol” for the fifth year in a row.  Also, for the first time ever, New Britain Herald readers voted us “Best of New Britain.”

Despite our accomplishments, we remember our resident losses.✞  With heavy but hopeful hearts, we pledge to continue providing strong nursing in a cozy and loyal home.  Thank you.

Very Respectfully,

Tyson Francis Belanger

✞ We offer heartfelt condolences for the passings of Pamela Bartolomeo, Judith Bergeron, Frederick Calcinari, Eleanor Edgerton, Philip Gaudette, Sophie Ann Gudegast, Antoinette Helvie, Lucy Jawin, Stella Martin, Norma McQuarrie, Cynthia Munsey, Diane Pavelchak, Michael Pavelchak, Austin Tedesco, and Modesta Wolak.  We also miss residents who moved: Marjorie Knightly and Maurice Deschaine.  We hope we did well.  We tried our best.