Jaime Girard Now Serving as Executive Director for River Ridge

Jaime Girard believes that every day is an opportunity to make a difference in the life of another. She is now making a difference as the executive director at River Ridge at Avon, an assisted living and memory care community in Avon, Conn. River Ridge is one of 18 Connecticut communities for Benchmark, a leading provider of senior living and aging-well services in the Northeast. Prior to River Ridge, Girard served in a variety of capacities for its sister community, The Village at Buckland Court, in South Windsor, Conn.

“I started my career in early education. While that was rewarding, I wanted to be able to connect with individuals on a deeper level,” says Girard. “Benchmark, with its commitment to developing new leaders, afforded me the opportunity to train for the role of executive director and grow from within. River Ridge is an outstanding community, and I look forward to helping keep our residents, family members and associates connected to what matters most in their lives.”

At The Village at Buckland Court, Girard served as program director, traditional care director and director of community relations, gaining experience and insight into all aspects of senior care. Girard is also a Certified Dementia Practitioner, which enables her to direct care for residents with Alzheimer’s and other memory disorders.

“Jaime has the values we look for in our Benchmark staff,” says Justin Grady, regional director of operations for Benchmark. “There is nothing more important to her than family, and she sees every new day as an opportunity to elevate human connection. We are fortunate she decided to begin her senior care career at Benchmark, and we look forward to supporting her growth in her new role.”

Girard lives in Massachusetts with her family.

Conveniently located on Route 202 in Avon, River Ridge provides the area’s leading assisted living and memory care. The community offers individualized care for all stages of dementia supported by Benchmark’s effective, award-winning Mind and Memory approach. An experienced staff leads a robust activities program, and a host of on-site amenities helps residents maintain independence and peace-of-mind.