About Riverside Care Advisors

Owner & Aging Life Care Manager | Newburyport, Massachusetts

Rhiannon Stare is a Registered Nurse and Aging Life Care Manager with over 20 years of experience in healthcare and aging services, including acute rehabilitation, community-based care, and complex care coordination for older adults and their families. She is the Owner of Riverside Care Advisors, an aging life care management practice based in Newburyport, Massachusetts, serving older adults and families throughout the region.

Rhiannon provides comprehensive aging life care management services, including assessment, care planning, advocacy, and coordination across medical, residential, and community settings. She is known for her calm, grounded presence and her ability to build strong, trusting relationships with clients, families, and professional partners. Families rely on her for steady guidance during times of transition, cognitive change, and complex decision-making.

As part of her whole-person approach to aging, Rhiannon developed Elder Bloom Wellness, a wellness-focused service line within Riverside Care Advisors. Elder Bloom integrates education and evidence-informed natural wellness strategies to support quality of life for older adults and caregivers. This work emphasizes nutrition, movement, mindfulness, social connection, and selected plant-based and natural modalities—always offered in an educational, non-clinical capacity and coordinated with existing medical care.

Rhiannon has advanced training as a Certified Cannabis Coach, which informs her educational and coaching work within Elder Bloom Wellness. Her approach is grounded in ethics, safety, and collaboration, supporting clients and families in understanding wellness options while remaining aligned with their broader healthcare plans.

Rhiannon is deeply committed to professional leadership and the advancement of aging life care management. She currently serves as Co-President-Elect of the Aging Life Care Association New England Board of Directors, where she supports professional standards, education, and collaboration across the field.

Outside of her professional work, Rhiannon values time with her family, being outdoors, walking her dog, and maintaining balance through yoga and personal wellness practices.

Professional Credentials

●      Registered Nurse (RN)

●      Aging Life Care® Advanced Professional (CMC)

●      Certified Dementia Practitioner (CDP)

Additional Training

●      Certified Cannabis Coach (education and wellness coaching)

LEAD AGING LIFE CARE MANAGER

Rachel boasts over two decades of extensive experience dedicated to supporting the elderly and their caregivers. Her professional journey has taken her through a diverse array of settings, including senior housing, medical home care, senior centers, and senior advocacy groups. Rachel's passion lies in forging meaningful connections with her clients and crafting meticulously tailored care plans to enhance their quality of life while preserving their independence.

Beyond her professional pursuits, Rachel is a devoted parent to three spirited teenagers and a beloved fur companion. Her personal rejuvenation often involves beach days.

Qualifications

Master’s Degree in Social Work, Boston University

Master’s Degree in Public Health, Boston University

Licensed Independent Social Worker since 2001

Aging Life Care® Advanced Professional Member

AGING LIFE CARE MANAGER

Kristen has been supporting adults and seniors since 2000 as an Occupational Therapist within a variety of therapeutic settings including Subacute Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Facilities. After taking some time away from rehabilitation to care of her children, she returned to healthcare services to utilize her skills and experiences to support young people with disabilities. Kristen’s passion to improve the quality of life for others remains and drives her therapeutic focus. In her spare time, Kristen can be seen and heard on local sports fields and within gymnasiums supporting her three active children. She is an avid runner and enjoys spending time outdoors enjoying all the benefits that living in New England has to offer.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy, University of New England

• Massachusetts Registered and Licensed Occupational Therapist

• Member of the American Occupational Therapy Association

• Aging Life Care® Associate Member

LIFE ENRICHMENT SPECIALIST / CARE MANAGER ASSOCIATE

Since graduating from Simmons College School of Social Work in 2006, Christel has worked in various medical settings including community health, home health and hospice as well as serving those with complex behavioral health needs in the community and supporting people as an online therapist during the pandemic.  The desire to focus her work with the aging population and their families comes from her passion for wanting to help ease some of the burden of those faced with challenging life situations and providing a supportive presence.  

In her spare time, Christel enjoys anything that gets her outdoors to enjoy this beautiful Earth. She is an avid hiker and spends time in the White Mountains of NH whenever she can. She also enjoys skiing, camping, traveling as well as tending to her houseplant collection and outdoor gardens. She has one fur baby named Buddy.

Qualifications

Masters Degree in Social Work- Simmons College

Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker  (LICSW) in Massachusetts

LIFE ENRICHMENT SPECIALIST / CARE MANAGER

Shelley has dedicated her career to Geriatric Nursing and Administration in a range of holistic settings for elders. Her experience includes Subacute Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing, multilevel life campus for Deaf and Deafblind seniors with independent living, rest home, and traditional care. She has also worked in memory care assisted living and with Deaf Senior Centers in conjunction with Area Agencies on Aging (AAA).

In her spare time, Shelley enjoys family time, walking the trails and parks, visiting museums, and exploring local restaurants. 

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Education (Therapeutic Recreation), Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University

• RN program, Northern Essex Community College

• Certified Dementia Practitioner

• Aging Life Care® Associate Member

LIFE ENRICHMENT SPECIALIST

Karen has extensive experience in working with aging adults in many different settings in her professional career with the goal of enriching people’s lives by providing meaningful activities into their everyday routines. She is passionate about fitness and nutrition as she is a certified ACSM personal trainer and incorporates this mindset into everything she does with endless energy and enthusiasm.

When she is not working, she is a mom to three adult sons. She loves to spend time with family and friends while biking, hiking, reading, and singing.

Qualifications:

Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Assumption College, Worcester, MA

ACSM Certification in Personal Training, American College of Sports Medicine, Indianapolis, IN

CLIENT SERVICES MANAGER

Patty has worked as an Occupational Therapist in many healthcare settings and patient populations since moving to Massachusetts twenty-five years ago. Later in her career, she decided to pursue more non-clinical endeavors and has enjoyed supporting professionals behind the scenes so they can perform their best in advocating for their clients. She is very passionate about living a healthy lifestyle and viewing life with a positive mindset.

In her spare time, she lives a very active life with her husband and three children. Her favorite place to go is the library searching for new non-fiction or the latest cooking magazine or cookbook. You most likely will find Patty hiking in Maudslay State Park or Mosley Woods with her favorite canine companion, Calvin.

Qualifications

• Bachelors of Science in Occupational Therapy, Quinnipiac University

• Massachusetts Registered and Licensed Occupational Therapist

• Member of American Occupational Therapy Association

SPEECH AND LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST

With nearly 30 years of experience, Leslie has dedicated her career to supporting adults and the aging population as a Medical Speech-Language Pathologist. She has worked in a wide range of healthcare and rehabilitation settings, specializing in the treatment of individuals with neurological conditions that affect memory, cognition, and communication, as well as those with swallowing disorders.

Over the years, Leslie has developed a deep passion for working with older adults, particularly those diagnosed with dementia, and for supporting their families through challenging transitions. Her commitment to holistic, compassionate care led her to the field of Aging Life Care Management, where she brings together her clinical expertise, advocacy skills, and heartfelt dedication to improving the quality of life for seniors.

Leslie holds a Master’s Degree in Communication Disorders from SUNY Cortland and a Bachelor’s Degree from The College of Saint Rose. She has been a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist since 1995 and is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).

Leslie lives in Southern New Hampshire with her husband and two active teenagers. She enjoys spending time with her family, especially snowboarding, camping, boating, and traveling.

I love people and I truly appreciate everyone I come across. I’ve had a varied career that’s ranged from retail sales to textile print design to medical sales recruiting, and have always enjoyed interacting with people. I moved back to Newburyport in 2010 with my two young boys, knowing I’d be the one to take care of my parents as they got older. My boys are now young men and we all help maintain the household and take care of my elderly mother in the house I grew up in. I realized the importance of senior companionship and engagement during my father’s convalescence after he had a fall in 2022. I came to the realization that the physical and mental decline of a person should not diminish the accomplishments and beauty of their earlier lives, and I found that I wanted to serve the senior community with kindness and respect.

I began volunteering at a memory care unit in Newburyport, engaging with seniors, and very much enjoy seeing the smiles and sparkling eyes when we share an activity or even just a conversation. I try my best to let them know they’re loved.

I'm honored to be part of the team at Riverside Care Advisors, helping enrich the lives of our clients.

Alzheimer’s Association Training and Certification - 11/2025

Bachelor of Studio Arts w/ Minor in Art History - Skidmore CollegeDescription goes here

Donna has been a Physical Therapist for 42 years. She has worked in a variety of healthcare

systems including Acute Care Hospitals, Acute rehab, skilled nursing facilities and many years

in home health care in various settings including homes, Assisted living, Adult Day Health sites.

Her focus was always treating her clients like they were family members and trying to improve

their functional mobility, strength and more importantly, to allow them to live independently and

safely in their home environment.

Donna is passionate about cooking for family and friends, spending time with her husband,

three adult children, their spouses and especially with her two grandsons, travelling in the

country and abroad, daily walks with her dog, Izzy, gardening and enjoying her home and yard.

Qualifications

Bachelor of Science degree and certificate in Physical Therapy, Simmons University 1983

Massachusetts Licensed and Registered Physical Therapist

New Hampshire Licensed and Registered Physical Therapist