Benchmark’s Kelly Arnao to Oversee All Three Communities Featuring ‘The Branches’ Living Experience
May 6, 2019
WALTHAM, MA–Benchmark, a human connection company and leading provider of senior living services in the Northeast, today announced that Kelly Arnao, has been promoted to the newly created position of senior executive director overseeing its Massachusetts assisted living communities known as The Branches. She will continue to lead The Branches of North Attleboro, which she opened in 2017, while overseeing the development of two new communities, The Branches of Marlboro opening in November; and The Branches of Framingham opening in January 2020.
“The vision for The Branches communities has been to create collaborative, open spaces enabling us to elevate human connection and keep our residents and their family members connected to what matters most in their lives,” said Allison Melahouris, senior vice president of operations and strategic initiatives for Benchmark. “Kelly and her team have taken our original vision far beyond our expectations, creating a community that not only has fostered strong interpersonal relationships inside its walls but also has become a critical part of the larger communities they serve.”
Arnao has spent nearly a decade in senior living serving within communities for Benchmark and, previously, The Northbridge Companies. She graduated from Johnson and Wales University with a bachelor’s degree in hotel, motel and restaurant management and lives in Sandwich, MA.
Modeled on the success of The Branches of North Attleboro, which has won three community and industry awards since opening, The Branches of Marlboro and The Branches of Framingham will deliver high-quality care and experiences to seniors at a more affordable price and will feature a collaborative design intended to encourage social interaction. Along with flexible apartment floor plans, each community will offer amenities such as a spacious outdoor patio with farmers porch, firepit, beauty salon, library, fitness center and bistro featuring all-day, restaurant-style dining.
Personal care will be tailored to each individual and provided 24/7. Certified dementia practitioners will deliver award-winning programming for all stages of dementia and customized to each individual’s unique emotional, spiritual and physical needs.
“I feel fortunate to be part of a company that has supported my development and continually been open to trying new ideas,” said Arnao. “At The Branches of North Attleboro, we’ve experimented with a number of new programs and been able to create a model of success where all our residents and associates feel valued. I look forward to replicating that in the Metrowest area and providing experiences to help everyone thrive.”
Benchmark is a leading provider of senior housing in the Northeast with 6,400 associates and 58 communities offering independent living, assisted living, Alzheimer’s care and continuing care retirement communities in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont. The organization was selected by FORTUNE magazine for its inaugural 2018 Best Workplaces for Aging Services list, taking the number 16 spot on the list of top 40 aging services companies and ranking number three among companies with more than 40 communities. Benchmark is one of only six companies named to The Boston Globe Top Places to Work list every year of the 11 years it has been published. And it has been consistently recognized by Boston Business Journal, Hartford Courant and Hartford Business Journal as a top workplace, and by the Boston Business Journal, Providence Business News and Hartford Business Journal as one of the healthiest employers.