Memory Care Innovation Award Winner: Mary Silvia, Avita Program Director, Autumn Glen At Dartmouth

Mary Silvia, Avita Program Director of Autumn Glen at Dartmouth, has been named to the Memory Care Innovation Awards Class of 2026 by Senior Housing News.

The Memory Care Innovation Awards program is designed to recognize passionate and innovative industry members who are shaping the future of cognitive care across behavioral health, home health and home care, hospice and palliative care, senior housing and senior living, and skilled nursing. To become a Memory Care Innovation Award winner, an individual must be nominated by their peers. The candidate should be a high-performing employee who knows how to put vision into action, serving as an advocate for those living with memory-related disorders and the committed professionals who ensure their well-being.

Silvia sat down with Senior Housing News to share her journey caring for patients and residents with cognitive care needs, her thoughts on the future of cognitive care in senior housing & senior living, and much more. To learn more about the Memory Care Innovation Awards and view this year’s winners, visit https://innovation.memorycarebusiness.com/.

SHN: How long have you been working in the senior housing & senior living industry, and what has your career journey looked like?

Silvia: I have been working in senior living for my entire career, totaling about 6 years. Like many in the senior care industry, I spent a lot of time with seniors all my life. My mother was a memory care director when I was a child, so my love of supporting and connecting with seniors was instilled very early on.

SHN: What inspired you to focus on caring for individuals living with memory-related conditions?

Silvia: I began working in home care and engagement in a memory care neighborhood during the pandemic. Even with the stressors that came with joining this industry during a global health crisis, I knew that I had found my place.

The memory care neighborhood and the individuals who lived there became familiar, comfortable, and soothing during a time with so much uncertainty. My residents cared and supported me in their own ways as much as I did them — a hug on a tough day, a joke between friends, and a dance partner when your favorite song comes on. Walking into a memory care neighborhood has always felt like coming home to me.

SHN: If you could describe the current state of memory care in senior housing & senior living in one word, what would it be and why?

Silvia: Opportunity.

No matter how much we improve, there is always room to grow — educating associates, families, and the general public, exercising compassion, and safeguarding dignity.

SHN: What is the most important lesson you’ve learned in your career caring for individuals with cognitive needs?

Silvia: People can get caught up on the differences and the impairment. At the end of the day, just like us, people with cognitive impairment are people with their own personal histories, complex emotions, and at times baffling talents. Rather than focusing on what separates our residents from us, we should be focusing on what connects us.

SHN: What is one change you would most like to see across the memory care landscape in senior housing & senior living today?

Silvia: I would like to see more of a focus on preserving the dignity of the individuals we serve. There is more to caring for someone than completing ADLs. We need to focus on caring for individuals’ self esteem and sense of belonging as much as their body.

SHN: Looking ahead five years, what do you think will have the greatest impact on your ability to deliver innovative, high-quality cognitive care?

Silvia: Investing in ongoing education and people.

SHN: If you could give yourself advice on your first day serving the cognitive care needs of your senior housing & senior living residents, what would it be and why?

Silvia: I would encourage myself to become more comfortable asking questions and not being scared to be perceived as “clueless.”

My career has been full of discovery and learning opportunities, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m 6 years in and I ask more questions now than ever before. I am committed to lifelong learning for my residents and myself. The day that I feel as though I have nothing left to learn is the day that I don’t belong doing this anymore.

SHN: In your view, what qualities define a Memory Care Innovation Award winner?

Silvia: A commitment to continuous learning and improvement, an open mind, and not only a willingness to collaborate, but an enthusiasm for it.

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