West Bend, WI – Cedar Community in West Bend, WI, has expanded its commitment to resident wellness with the opening of a new Curana Health Clinic on the first floor of its Cedar Ridge Campus. The clinic, which began serving independent living residents this month, brings on-site primary and urgent care services directly to where residents live.
“It’s a wonderful addition,” said Cedar resident Carol Fellenz. “If you’re not feeling well and you don’t want to go to urgent care and sit there for hours, this is a nice thing to have.”
The partnership between Cedar Community and Curana Health has already been serving residents in assisted living and memory care since February 2025.
Now, those same services—including preventive care, chronic disease management, sick visits, care coordination, and urgent care—are available to independent living residents without the burden of arranging transportation or long waits for appointments.
“We’re very excited about this partnership,” said Tasha Janssen, Vice President of Operations for Curana Health. “Independent living is really the area that we see is underserved. It’s hard for residents to get out sometimes, especially in the winter or if they’re ill. Having a clinic right here gives them easy access to care, but also the flexibility to continue seeing their primary doctor if they’ve had that relationship for 30 years. We can act like an urgent care or provide ongoing primary care if they choose.”
The clinic is staffed by nurse practitioners and medical assistants, with plans to expand to add physicians as demand grows. In addition to walk-in care, the team also provides room visits for residents who are too ill to come downstairs.
For Cedar Community, the new clinic builds on its mission of creating a supportive environment for residents.
“From our perspective here, especially in independent living, the ability to extend life and really do more preventative care is key in longevity,” said Sarah Malchow, Chief Administrative Officer at Cedar Community.
“Transportation can be a barrier—weather, mobility, or family living far away. Having a clinic right here removes those barriers and allows residents to address issues before they become significant health problems.”
Malchow said the location of the clinic—converted from a first-floor apartment—was chosen intentionally. “We wanted it close to the heart of the building, near reception. If residents have questions outside clinic hours, someone is nearby to assist. Plus, it sits right next to our well-being and spiritual care offices, which makes it a very holistic space.”
Residents say the clinic is already making a difference. Cedar Ridge resident Dan Stefanowski toured the new facility and said, “It’s very convenient, particularly in the wintertime. You don’t want to go out in the cold and snow. Our insurance is checking coverage since it’s currently out of network, but we’ll see—it’s definitely something we’d like to use.”
Curana Health, headquartered in Austin, Texas, is the largest provider of senior living primary care services in the country, serving more than 1,500 communities in 36 states. Janssen, who oversees Curana’s Midwest operations, emphasized the shared vision between the two organizations.
“We can’t expand your life, but we can extend it,” Janssen said. “Cedar Community is dedicated to helping residents live life to the fullest, and that’s exactly our mission too. It’s a great opportunity because we’re all working toward the same goal.”
The Curana Health Clinic at Cedar Community is open Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., with providers available across campus five days a week.
