Mystic — Kathleen Dess of Madison, the new executive director of the StoneRidge retirement community off Jerry Browne Road, says the times are changing, and so are the amenities and offerings at the 12-year-old facility, the largest in the region.

"I'm all about giving our seniors a choice ... as they age," said Dess, who began her new position in April after eight years as assistant executive director at Essex Meadows, another Life Care Services property in Essex.

Dess said the senior-living landscape is changing as baby boomers advance into retirement. While those from an earlier generation were largely content with group activities, "boomers" are more self-directed and independent, she said.

"We want to provide an environment to pursue their passions," Dess said. "People need to maintain their purpose and their passions. We want to give them a reason to get up in the morning."

That's why StoneRidge offers such a wide range of activities to its 265 residents, including tai chi, yoga, a choral group and even beer-making activities. One resident, a pathologist named Joe Benedict, spends hours tending to his orchids, while others hike, bike and play tennis, and all have access to on-demand transportation.

"It's pretty cool to see people light up ... with their quality of life," Dess said.

To enhance that quality of life, StoneRidge has embarked on a series of capital improvements, including renovations to 50 independent-living apartments and the construction of an on-site assisted living neighborhood designed for those with 24-hour needs. Included is a memory cottage with 12 suites in a skilled nursing setting.

Some people age faster than others, so the new facilities are expected to enhance the experience of couples separated by different levels of need, Dess said.

"StoneRidge is an amazing facility in the sense that everything is here," she added. "We guarantee we will take care of people for life."

As a continuing care retirement facility, StoneRidge initially screens applicants to make sure they don't have significant barriers to independent living, but once accepted seniors are helped through all stages of life with significant opportunities for recreation and socializing, including bridge lessons, shopping trips, religious services and fitness classes. 

StoneRidge recently added new equipment and expanded its fitness center in addition to upgrading its saltwater pool, with equipment geared specifically for older clients. And over 80 percent of residents engage in wellness and fitness programs, administrators report.

At StoneRidge, the seniors are so active that they participate in 15 committees, including those that suggest changes in the way the retirement home is run. Many of their ideas are eventually implemented, Dess said.

"You have to be nimble and responsive to administer that way, but it's healthier," she said. 

StoneRidge residents were active as well in discussions over development at the former Perkins Farm property across the street. Residents were so adamantly opposed to one proposed 36-home project that developer David Lattizori eventually relented and changed plans to create the Mystic Geriatric Institute that Dess said could help turn the area into a leader nationwide in the study of aging.

"Who doesn't go to Mystic?" asked StoneRidge marketing director Dorothy Schrage. "So many people have a tie to this area for one reason or another."

Dess said she doesn't see the geriatric institute as competition but as one more reason to consider retirement living in Mystic.

"More choices, more services, more options ... we're excited to see them coming," Dess said.

The aging population of baby boomers is just at its beginning stages, but by 2030 those over age 65 are expected to number 72.1 million, according to the U.S. Administration on Aging. That's a doubling of the senior population in just three decades.

Places like StoneRidge are counting on the growing retiree population to seek out continuing care facilities while they are active and engaged, and they believe being in a place where socialization comes naturally and medical help arrives quickly is a huge benefit. At StoneRidge, a senior can expect to stay an average of 10 years, Dess said.

"Isolation is a health risk among seniors today," she said. "It's a big concern as we age. Being engaged can add several years of life." 

l.howard@theday.com