OUR TEAM
The Heart of Our Community: Dedication, Skill, and Warmth
Our team is the vibrant heart of LEONIA RETIREMENT HOUSING CORP, comprising highly qualified professionals and compassionate caregivers who are united by a singular, deep-seated commitment to senior well-being. We pride ourselves on hiring individuals who possess not only the necessary certifications and clinical expertise, but also an innate sense of empathy, patience, and a genuine joy in serving others. Every staff member, from our administrative leadership and our licensed health providers to our culinary team and maintenance crew, plays a crucial role in creating the seamless, supportive environment that defines LRHC. Our team receives ongoing specialized training in gerontology, dementia sensitivity, and resident engagement techniques, ensuring we are always equipped with the most up-to-date knowledge and skills to provide exceptional care. This collective dedication to the highest standards of professional and personal service is what transforms our beautiful facility into a true home and a haven of security and happiness for all our residents.
Sarah Jenkins, Director of Community Life
Sarah Jenkins serves as the Director of Community Life, bringing over fifteen years of experience in therapeutic recreation and senior engagement to the LEONIA RETIREMENT HOUSING CORP family. Her background includes extensive work developing award-winning programs designed to stimulate cognitive function, promote physical mobility, and foster deep social connections among older adults with diverse needs and backgrounds. Sarah holds a Master’s degree in Recreational Therapy and is a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS), ensuring that every activity, from the weekly book club to the organized garden project, is not merely fun but is fundamentally rooted in evidence-based practices that contribute directly to resident wellness. She believes deeply that purposeful activity is the key to a fulfilling retirement and works tirelessly to curate a schedule that honors resident interests while introducing exciting new opportunities for growth and exploration. Her bio notes that she is often found chatting and laughing with residents, underscoring her warm, person-centered approach to her essential leadership role within the LRHC community.
Dr. Alistair Chen, Wellness Coordinator
Dr. Alistair Chen acts as our consulting Wellness Coordinator, providing invaluable oversight and guidance for all physical and nutritional programs, bringing a wealth of knowledge from his years as a primary care physician specializing in geriatric medicine. He collaborates directly with our in-house nursing staff and culinary team to ensure that our menus and exercise routines are clinically sound, catering to various dietary restrictions and mobility levels while promoting cardiovascular and bone health. Dr. Chen’s approach is preventive and educational; he regularly leads engaging seminars for residents on topics such as medication management, sleep hygiene, and fall prevention, empowering them with the knowledge to actively manage their own health. His commitment to holistic care extends to mental well-being, advising on programs that reduce isolation and stress. His qualifications and steady, reassuring presence provide a clinical backbone to our community life, ensuring that resident health is always managed with professional expertise and the utmost credibility.
Maria Rodriguez, Residential Care Manager
As the Residential Care Manager, Maria Rodriguez is the steady, compassionate anchor of our daily operations, directly overseeing all personal care services and the dedicated team of caregivers. Maria is a licensed Registered Nurse (RN) with a specialty certification in gerontological nursing, boasting a decade of hands-on experience in managing care for complex needs within senior living environments. Her role is critical, involving the continuous assessment of resident needs, coordination of external healthcare providers, and the development of personalized care plans that evolve with the individual resident. Maria’s leadership style is characterized by a unique balance of professional strictness regarding clinical standards and a profound empathy for the residents and the staff she manages. She firmly believes in dignity-first care, ensuring that every interaction between staff and resident is respectful, empowering, and focused on maintaining the resident’s autonomy. Families frequently comment on Maria’s accessibility and her ability to communicate complex medical information clearly and reassuringly, making her an indispensable and highly trusted member of the LRHC leadership team.
James Connell, Facilities and Operations Director
James O’Connell serves as the Facilities and Operations Director, the unsung hero who ensures the entire LEONIA RETIREMENT HOUSING CORP environment is always safe, accessible, and impeccably maintained, reflecting our commitment to the highest standards of residential quality. Jim brings over twenty years of experience in property management and building services, with a specialized focus on the unique safety and accessibility requirements of senior living facilities, holding several certifications in building safety and emergency preparedness. His responsibilities encompass everything from proactive maintenance planning and grounds keeping to managing all emergency protocols and capital improvements, ensuring our residents live in a consistently reliable and aesthetically pleasing environment. Jim’s philosophy is rooted in preventative action and swift responsiveness; he works tirelessly behind the scenes so that the residents can enjoy a worry-free daily life without ever having to concern themselves with the upkeep of their home or the safety of the facility. His commitment to operational excellence is essential to the peace of mind we offer to every resident and their family members.
Community & Engagement
Fostering Bonds That Feel Like Family
Community and Engagement are not just programs at LEONIA RETIREMENT HOUSING CORP; they are the very essence of our environment, the foundational elements that transform our residence into a home that truly feels like family. We actively cultivate a culture of mutual support, friendship, and shared experience, recognizing that deep social bonds are paramount to health and happiness in retirement. This commitment is evident in the layout of our communal spaces, which are intentionally designed to encourage spontaneous interactions, and in our dining schedule, which prioritizes shared meals as central social events. Our engagement strategy is dual-focused: ensuring residents feel connected to one another through peer-led activities and supporting their continued connection to the broader Leonia community. We believe that true well-being comes from feeling profoundly connected to both your immediate neighbors and the town you call home, and we work tirelessly every day to ensure these vital bonds remain strong, supportive, and deeply enriching for all.
Join Us
Your Career, Defined by Compassion
A Fulfilling Opportunity to Serve and Enrich Lives
We are continually seeking highly dedicated, empathetic, and skilled individuals who feel a genuine calling to serve and enrich the lives of our cherished senior residents at LEONIA RETIREMENT HOUSING CORP. Joining our team is not merely taking on a job; it is becoming part of a supportive, professional family deeply committed to providing the highest standards of compassionate care and community management in the Leonia area. We offer meaningful career opportunities across various departments, including residential care, wellness programming, culinary services, and facilities maintenance, all united by our core mission of helping every resident thrive. If you are looking for a career that offers profound personal reward, stability, continuous professional development, and a chance to make a tangible, positive difference in the daily lives of older adults, we warmly invite you to explore the fulfilling pathways available with the LRHC team.