Meet the Bridges® Westwood Team
As Executive Director of Bridges® by EPOCH at Westwood, John is dedicated to building a vibrant and supportive environment where every resident can thrive. He oversees the community’s daily operations with a focus on service excellence and building meaningful relationships with residents and their loved ones.
Senior Advisor Taylor Burns is here to make the journey with memory care a smooth, positive experience for all, with over 20 years of experience in the fields of hospitality and senior living.
She enjoys educating at-home caregivers about dementia’s symptoms and care needs, helping them recognize when it’s time for memory care assisted living, helping them choose the right community for their loved ones, and supporting transitions to memory care assisted living.
Taylor also builds relationships with local senior services professionals and organizations, providing education and insights to help all Westwood-area seniors with memory loss live more fulfilling, engaging and comfortable lives.
With over 20 years of experience in the fields of hospitality and senior living, Taylor understands people. She excels at identifying seniors’ needs and helping their families navigate difficult and emotional situations with genuine empathy.
Taylor is a graduate of Johnson & Wales University in Providence, RI.
As Community Liaison, Grace helps connect local families, senior services professionals and healthcare providers with Bridges® by EPOCH’s education programs, support and other resources needed to best care for those with dementia.
She provides support to our Hingham, Mashpee, Pembroke and Westwood communities. Grace is a Certified Dementia Practitioner®, Brass Ring Dementia Practitioner certified by the National Institute for Dementia Education, and a well-known advocate for area seniors living with dementia, having worked closely with South Shore healthcare providers, senior centers and other senior services organizations for over 15 years. She is also an active volunteer in local dementia research, education and care organizations, including the South Shore Alzheimer’s Partnership; Walk to End Alzheimer’s®; Honoring Choices Massachusetts; Dementia Friends Massachusetts; and Second Wind Dreams® Virtual Dementia Tour®.
As Vice President of Memory Care Operations, Alicia is responsible for the operations of Bridges® by EPOCH memory care assisted living communities under the direction of EPOCH Senior Living’s Chief Operating Officer, Joanna Cormac-Burt.
Alicia also serves as an educator and trainer for both our families and our staff, as well as an expert resource for all Bridges® by EPOCH communities. In her position, she is focused on maintaining the unique culture and personalized approach to care in all Bridges® by EPOCH communities. With more than 20 years of experience in the senior living industry, Alicia is certified by the National Institute on Aging as a Memory Impairment Specialist and is state certified in Massachusetts and Florida as an Alzheimer’s and Related Dementia Trainer. Her extensive skill set, combined with her depth of knowledge of memory care and forms of dementias, allows Alicia to effectively provide invaluable information not only to Bridges® by EPOCH families, but also to the greater community.
Alicia is truly committed to making a difference in the lives of seniors and their families. Her career with EPOCH Senior Living began as the Executive Director of our Bridges® by EPOCH flagship community in Hingham, where she earned the honor of being named Executive Director of the Year by Mass-ALFA. Prior to this, Alicia held various positions at senior living communities in Florida and Massachusetts. Alicia is proud to be part of an organization that is as dedicated to providing highquality, individualized care to seniors as she is, and she feels fortunate to be in a position where she can educate families on how to make a difference in the quality of life of their loved ones with memory challenges.