Waveny LifeCare Network, marking five decades of service in the community, is seeking approval from the Town of New Canaan’s Planning and Zoning Commission, after receiving Inland Wetlands Commission approval, for its proposed 30-bed expansion to its Care Center skilled nursing short-term rehabilitation unit. Waveny says that this expansion represents its continuing commitment to meet the growing healthcare needs of New Canaan area families, with the potential to serve an additional 400 patients annually.
“Due to its capacity constraints, Waveny can only accept a fraction of the referrals to its short-term rehabilitation unit. As a cornerstone of New Canaan’s healthcare community, we recognize our responsibility to expand these vital services,” said Waveny’s President & CEO Russell Barksdale. “This transformative initiative includes 30,000 square feet of new construction, along with the modernization of an additional 10,000 square feet, reinforcing our unwavering commitment to providing state-of-the-art healthcare in a modern, patient-centered setting.”
If approved, the expansion project will commence in late 2025, adding 30-private, short-term rehabilitation rooms that will integrate seamlessly with the existing Waveny Care Center campus. The new pavilion will feature a lobby offering a single point of entry for both the Care Center and the Village—Waveny’s assisted living residence, and provide the following campus improvements:
• Family-focused common areas that encourage community connectivity, including expanded outdoor spaces
• Advanced Telemedicine systems for real-time patient monitoring, with remote virtual access to physicians and specialists
• Enhanced HVAC and infrastructure, and state-of-the-art clinical and physical rehabilitation equipment
• Thoughtful aesthetic features including healing gardens and therapeutic spaces that complement the campus’s peaceful, natural setting
• A nondenominational chapel for patients and their loved ones’ emotional support and meditation
• Modern outpatient center to conduct physical, occupational, and speech therapies
• Expanded parking with improved visitor accessibility, vehicle and pedestrian flow.
Waveny LifeCare Network is recognized by medical industry leaders and organizations for innovative programs, exceptional care, and dedication to meeting the evolving health needs of its community. The Care Center has maintained a Five-Star rating for quality patient outcomes and registered nurse staffing levels from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Waveny Care Center was awarded Leading Age Connecticut’s Spirit of Innovation Award for integrating Telemedicine into community settings and the Care Center’s Short-Term Rehabilitation Unit, enhancing patient oversight, physician and family connectivity and care.
Waveny’s Kathleen M. Fruin RN Certified Nursing Aide School (CNA) has received both the prestigious Social Accountability Award from Leading Age Connecticut, and the Best Practices Award for Staff Recruitment and Retention from the Connecticut Assisted Living Association (CALA). The Fruin CNA School was established to counteract the nationwide nursing shortage by recruiting, training and employing candidates to become professional, compassionate caregivers who promote the well-being and peace of mind of patients, residents and their families.
