Dynamic Duo at the Helm of Brightmore of East Memphis Senior Living Community
April 3, 2023
Talk about a dynamic duo. Donna English and Shay Beech Walters share the title of directors of sales and marketing at Brightmore of East Memphis, a new senior living community coming soon to Memphis, but they have more in common than that.
They each have a passion for helping older adults find a community that best suits their needs and brings joy and vitality back into their lives.
In anticipation of Brightmore of East Memphis’ scheduled opening in mid-May, the two are busy introducing older adults to all of the amenities and resources that the brand-new rental community has to offer, including beautiful independent living apartments as well as accommodations for assisted living and memory care.
“I adore showing seniors that this could be their next chapter,” says English, who has more than 25 years of experience in senior living and behavioral health.
She, and Beech Walters, are working to have a positive impact on how the community evolves.
“Our aim is for it to be a lively, innovative community that is down to earth, Southern-minded and leads from the heart,” English says.
She looks forward to seeing the spark of vitality that will light residents’ eyes as they get comfortable in their digs.
“Maybe they feel like they are winding down—they are retired, their children are grown, but when they move here, they will be opening themselves up to a whole new world,” she says.
That new world offers bright and airy apartments and a range of convenient, on-site amenities, including a state-of-art wellness center with a heated swimming pool, fully equipped fitness center and personalized wellness plans developed to help each resident improve their health and well-being, no matter what their current activity level.
Another feature that English and Beech Walters are sure residents will appreciate is the on-site dining room, The Evergreen Grille. Whether a resident craves pizza or glazed salmon with a glass of Merlot, the restaurant-style dining room will feature meals made with fresh ingredients under the supervision of an executive chef.
English’s background in senior living is extensive, and so is Beech Walter’s. She has worked in senior living, skilled nursing and hospice care for 19 years in a variety of roles: admissions, social services, marketing and as an activity director.
“Each of these roles has helped me grow in the field,” she says.
She relishes working and getting to know the residents who will enrich her own life.
“I love seniors,” she says. “I find them extremely interesting. They are a plethora of information. I love being a resource and advocating for them.”
English and Beech Walters agree that serving older adults is not just a job, but their mission. They also agree on an approach to introducing older adults to the community, which doesn’t involve a hard sell, but is geared to understanding residents’ needs and making sure The Brightmore at East Memphis is the best possible fit for them.
“It’s about building a rapport with people,” Beech Walter says. “I realize this can be a huge decision. They may feel like they are making a leap into the unknown. They are putting their trust in us, and I take that trust very seriously.”
English and Beech Walters are happy to meet prospective residents in their homes or at The Brightmore, whichever is most convenient for them.
An in-person tour will be part of the getting acquainted process and allows prospective residents and their family members to see first-hand the range of well-appointed homes that are available. Floor plans range in size from 660 square feet to 1,230 square feet and consist of one-bedroom, one-bath, one-bedroom, one-bath plus a den, two-bedroom, two-bath and two-bedroom, two-bath with a den.
When Beech Walters and English are not introducing Brightmore of East Memphis to potential new residents, they can be found volunteering in the Memphis community. Not surprisingly, perhaps, their volunteer work also revolves around serving older adults.
English volunteers for The Professional Network on Aging, The Alzheimer’s Association, Big Brothers/Big Sisters and other organizations. Beech Walters also volunteers for The Professional Network on Aging, as well as for her church and for hospice care organizations.
Asked what Beech Walters most likes about English, she says, “Donna has an impeccable reputation in senior living. It’s an honor to work with her.” English, on the other hand, calls Beech Walters not only a colleague but also a friend.
“She’s compassionate and outgoing. She never meets a stranger.”
As plans for the community are unfolding, English and Beech Walters both praise other aspects that are part of the community, including a leadership team that will have an open-door policy for residents and family members to drop in any time they want for a chat.
They also emphasize that the community will have dedicated and well-trained employees rather than contractors, ensuring consistency of care and fostering strong relationships between residents and their caregivers.
Asked what they most enjoy about their work, both English and Beech Walters agree that it is not just a job, but a passion and mission; there is nothing else they’d rather be doing.
Brightmore of East Memphis
Opening in 2023, Brightmore of East Memphis is luxury rental retirement community providing independent living, assisted living and memory care. Brightmore features a scenic campus in the prominent Kirby Gate neighborhood of East Memphis, Tennessee–known as the city’s garden district. The 8-acre property offers a wide range of on-site amenities including an indoor pool, state-of-the-art fitness center and multiple dining venues. Brightmore of East Memphis is owned and operated by Liberty Senior Living, LLC, a division of Liberty Healthcare Management that specializes in senior living and retirement communities. To learn more about Brightmore at East Memphis, visit https://www.brightmoreofeastmemphis.com. To learn more about Liberty Senior Living and the communities they offer, please visit www.LibertySeniorLiving.com .