Masonicare Honored with Maude’s Award for Innovative Intergenerational Programs 6th Annual Maude’s Awards Celebrate Advancements in Dementia Care

SEATTLE, WA/WALLINGFORD, CT – [September 11, 2025] – Masonicare, Connecticut’s leading not-for-profit provider of senior living and healthcare, has been named a recipient of the 6th Annual Maude’s Award for its Making Connections programs, which foster meaningful intergenerational engagement for residents living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

Founded in 2019 by philanthropist Richard Ferry in honor of his late wife, Maude, the Maude’s Awards recognize innovative programs that have demonstrated success in enhancing the quality of life for persons living with dementia and their care partners.

Masonicare’s Making Connections includes two unique initiatives:

• Students in Residence (SIR) Program – Launched in 2016 in collaboration with Quinnipiac University on Masonicare’s Wallingford campus, the SIR program invites university students to live among residents for an academic year. Students lead recreation programming, build relationships, and create meaningful daily connections.

This year, the program expanded to include students from the University of New Haven and the University of Hartford, with students now in residence across three different Masonicare communities. With the addition of new properties—including two with memory care units—the program will continue to expand in the 2025–2026 academic year.

• Community Engagement Legacy Class – In partnership with Quinnipiac University, this course pairs students with individual residents for a semester. Students spend time learning the resident’s life story and then create a personalized legacy book for the resident and their family. This program, which began in Fall 2024, is ongoing and has already made a profound impact on residents and students alike.

“These programs exemplify the power of intergenerational connection,” said Cherie Macri, MS OTRL/L, CLT, who oversees the program at Masonicare. “Receiving a Maude’s Award is both an honor and a testament to our mission of reimagining aging by creating opportunities for joy, purpose, and meaningful relationships—even in the face of memory loss.”

The Maude’s Awards are not grants for future initiatives but recognition of programs that have already demonstrated measurable success. Nominated programs must be active in the previous year and proven to make a positive impact on the lives of individuals living with dementia and their care partners.

For more information about Maude’s Awards, visit https://maudesawards.org.

About Masonicare
Masonicare is Connecticut’s largest not-for-profit provider of senior living, healthcare, and community-based services. With a legacy of compassion and innovation, Masonicare offers a full continuum of care designed to help older adults live with confidence, dignity, and purpose.

Media Contact:
Ann Collette
Chief, Strategy
Masonicare
acollette@masonicare.org
203-695-2799