The Bridge at Columbia
The Bridge Assisted Living, located in beautiful Maury County, is a shining jewel that has been serving the community since 1999. The Bridge Assisted living has been recognized as the best assisted living in Maury County for the past 13 years. Our company has recently been named by Fortune magazine as one of the top 25 places to work in Senior Care and Aging Services in the nation.
At The Bridge, they believe life is worth living and exploring at any age so why not simplify your life and get pampered. Many seniors are struggling to remain at home and downsizing reduces the burden of lawn work and general home maintenance. When living at The Bridge, they take care of all the resident’s needs from housekeeping, laundry, gourmet food choices as well as supplemental nursing care as needed. It allows residents to focus on living an active, social, and healthy lifestyle.
Christy Thrasher, Recreational Services Director, has been with the company for 18 years. Thrasher said, “Keeping seniors busy and active is a priority at The Bridge. From stimulating the brain to physical exercise, our residents stay engaged to maintain healthy and productive lifestyle. Shopping, getting out, visiting Columbia and surround neighborhoods, to concerts and playing games, our residents stay very active. All of these benefits lead to a longer and happier life span.” Thrasher keeps the resident’s lives and hallways full of laughter and energy and has been such a blessing to the residents.
The staff at The Bridge has created a caring and inclusive atmosphere, which Maury County prides itself on. You feel the compassion as you walk into the building and are greeted by the staff. Brian Oakley, Executive Director, explains, “It is the staff that makes The Bridge at Columbia such a special place. We are blessed that a large majority of our staff has worked at The Bridge for more than 10 years. The longevity of our staff has helped us build such a special team with a culture of exceptional care. This year we recently celebrated Delana Davis and Diane Radley who each have 20 years of service to our company.”
The staff are known for the many unheralded acts of kindness that create such a family atmosphere at The Bridge. The workplace is surrounded by impactful and unselfish people each day. Maria Lindquist, a resident, described, “The staff always anticipate my needs and provide the best care I could ever ask for. They treat me like family, and I am so happy to call The Bridge home.”
Many people may wonder what exactly The Bridge offers to the community. Over the past 18 months, older adults who are living at home have been faced with numerous challenges. The greatest challenge has been social isolation due to covid. Many individuals have not been able to enjoy their typical routines or visit with friends and family, which led to some seniors experiencing weight loss, depression, and loss of physical strength due to inactivity. However, The Bridge has been able to meet the needs of their residents who may have been experiencing some of those challenges. There is a chef on staff who oversees the culinary department and each day there are exercise classes focused on physical wellbeing as well as onsite physical therapy. Both made the residents at The Bridge thrive during the pandemic. The freedom and security of knowing that family members are well taken care of is priceless. The onsite nursing, medication assistance, dedicated housekeeping staff, and meal preparation creates such trust so family members don’t have to worry about their loved ones.
One of the family members, Jan McKeel, recently shared, “I have so much peace of mind knowing that my mom is living at The Bridge. The Bridge takes care of her medications and prepares all her meals. She is treated like a queen, and she is so happy at The Bridge. She enjoys all the food, activities, socialization, and the fun atmosphere at The Bridge. We are so happy knowing that she is safe, happy, and loved. She has thrived since moving into the Bridge at Columbia.”
“We are so proud of Maury County and the growth that is happening to our small town. We are honored to be able to our serve Maury County,” concludes Oakley.