Residents and Staff Members Collaborate at Maris Grove

At Maris Grove, an Erickson Senior Living community in the Brandywine Valley of Pennsylvania, residents have a true say in what happens on campus, thanks to the Resident Advisory Council (RAC).

The RAC works closely with community leaders to share feedback from neighbors, discuss suggestions and ideas, and collaborate on decisions that impact daily life.

To learn more about how this collaboration strengthens the community and supports residents, the Tribune sat down with RAC chair Stan Ross, RAC vice chair Karen Kaminskas, and Executive Director Chad Couture.

Tribune: Stan and Karen, what inspired you to become involved with the RAC?

Stan: My wife and I moved here about eight and a half years ago after looking at several continuing care retirement communities in the area. Maris Grove stood above the rest.

I became involved with the RAC because I was interested in how the community operates and wanted to better understand what was happening behind the scenes. The RAC seemed like a great place to help residents while also learning more about the community.

Karen: I actually worked at Maris Grove as the pastoral ministries coordinator before moving here as a resident about four and a half years ago. My experience as a staff member showed me how much the team truly cares about residents.

I knew this was the kind of place where I wanted to live someday. Joining the RAC felt like a meaningful way to continue being of service to the community.

Tribune: What role does the RAC play in shaping community life?

Stan: The RAC serves as a communication link between residents and the leadership team. Residents share concerns, suggestions, ideas, and feedback with us, and we help bring that information forward.

A lot of what we do happens through everyday conversations. People often stop us in the hallway, call us, or send emails, but we also have more formal ways for residents to submit suggestions.

Couture: For residents, Maris Grove is their home, so their input is absolutely vital to the decisions we make. It's a pleasure working with the RAC, knowing that we are all working toward the same goal--making Maris Grove a great place to live and work.

The benefits of our collaborative relationship are innumerable. The associate executive director and I meet weekly with Stan. We meet with the entire council on a monthly basis.

Tribune: Can residents provide feedback in other ways?

Couture: Yes! We've created additional opportunities for residents to share feedback. During our weekly "Tuesdays at 10" program, residents can submit questions online or call in live to the in-house TV studio.

More recently, we launched "Chatting with Chad," a casual quarterly gathering where residents can bring questions or ideas directly to me. We also hold monthly Town Halls and twice-yearly Fireside Chats in each residence building.

Tribune: Can you share some positive changes that came directly from resident input?

Stan: Happy to. Some changes are smaller but still meaningful. Recently, mirrors were installed at corridor intersections and in elevators to improve safety for residents using mobility devices.

We've also added more benches throughout the community, so residents have additional places to rest and socialize.

Karen: Another example is the creation of a new Resident Life Committee. Residents felt it was important to have a more formal structure for providing feedback and collaborating with the Resident Life department, so we worked with leadership to begin forming that committee.

Couture: We've also involved residents in decisions like selecting restaurant seating--we set up three different chair options outside one of the restaurants and invited residents to vote on their favorite. The winning chair became our selection.

Tribune: Stan and Karen, what does being a part of the RAC mean to you personally?

Stan: It's very satisfying to help people and see positive changes happen. RAC members are viewed as people who can help get things done, and that feels rewarding.

Karen: For me, it's about making sure residents feel heard and supported. Being on the RAC creates a greater sense of responsibility to the community. It's also reassuring to see firsthand how much the administration genuinely cares about residents and their well-being.

To learn more about the ways you can explore senior living, request more information today.

By Julia Collins