The faces of The Renaissance of Richfield/Bath

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The staff at The Renaissance of Richfield/Bath gathers on Main Street, an indoor streetscape nestled within the facility. It features a coffee shop, beauty salon, library, sanctuary and movie theater. (Photography by Benjamin Margalit/Margalit Studio)

By Adam Cook

The nurses and certified nursing assistants, the care partners and therapists, the cooks and dieticians and the administrative and support staff at Renaissance of Richfield/Bath stand at the forefront of a person-centered approach to assisted living and memory care. Together, they are the Face of The Renaissance.

As members of The Renaissance age, caregivers collaborate to accommodate their changing needs from both a philosophical and practical standpoint. The most significant input comes from the residents themselves.  The caregivers at The Renaissance personify the progressive medical model.

“There’s a progressive aspect to care as we age—our needs become greater and greater,” says Jeff Risner, executive director for The Renaissance. “This is a community—we’re a family, and we treat our members like family.” 

The Renaissance makes members feel at home. 

“We want our members to have a sense of belonging,” says Jeff.  

“When members move here they’ll feel independent with assistance—even though they may not be independent physically, they remain independent emotionally.”

With a ratio of caregivers to members of one to eight, the 40-bed assisted living facility is small enough to encourage its  members to engage with the caregivers, yet large enough to allow its members to “wander safely” about in a dynamic environment. The adjacent memory care facility houses 32 members, bringing the total of beds for members at The Renaissance to 72. 

The facility is hugged by a large, fenced-in recreation area with abundant patios and walkways. Main Street, an indoor streetscape, is nestled within the facility, and holds a coffee shop, beauty salon, library, sanctuary and movie theater. 
Members at The Renaissance are secure inside and out. 

“In most communities, members have to be supervised while outside, whereas here, there’s no more risk outside than there is inside, because it’s all barrier-free,” says Jeff. 

Neither are there any psychological barriers. Fitbit-like smart bands control locks based on members’ distinct cognitive ability. The technology allows caregivers to take a step back, and actively listen and respond. The caregivers create an environment where members remain empowered and essential parts of the community.

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The Renaissance sustains a sense of community. Often seniors in assisted living are forced to move as their needs progress; The Renaissance, however, was built with an adjoining, dedicated memory care facility. 

“We allow our members to age in place,” said Debbie Garrett, a Director of Marketing for The Renaissance of Richfield/Bath. “We can handle the more medically complex and the more cognitively complex member in one environment.”

Unlike other facilities, The Renaissance is not corporately owned. 

“We do things differently, and eating is one,” says Jill Risner, manager of the Renaissance.  “We are cooking organically. In the beginning, the big food guys told us we wouldn’t be able to pull it off.”

The menu at The Renaissance forces the naysayers to eat their words. 

Chef Jimi says, “Everything’s strictly from scratch or farm to table. Processed foods have less flavor and higher salt count so we always go from scratch. When I’m involved, the food is the same as you’ll find in a restaurant—a good restaurant.”

The positive reviews of the community’s outstanding cuisine are rolling in. 

“It’s the people that make up The Renaissance, it’s their commitment and their expertise that makes the difference,” says Jill. “We’re doing things unlike the way anyone has done things up to now.”

The Renaissance of Richfield/Bath is located at 3975 Everett Road in Richfield. Call 330-313-7000 or visit RenaissanceAssistedLiving.net to find out how you or your loved one can be invited to join this community.