The goldton at spring hill

By Jason Zasky

“People want to age in a home-like environment,” begins Donna Stephens, executive director at The Goldton, an upbeat senior living retirement community that helps residents maintain an active lifestyle. A large percentage of the residents come for the socialization and to be part of a community, and because “they don’t want to cook and clean anymore,” adds Stephens. 

That said, The Goldton’s assisted living residents can choose to live in a studio apartment or a one- or two-bedroom while taking advantage of all the amenities and activities the community offers. That includes everything from exercise classes to competitive games, as well as in-house movies and religious services. Not to mention outings to local stores and shops, as well as a daily Happy Hour, for those residents who want a glass of wine or beer.

The Goldton—located on Miles Johnson Parkway—also hosts Spring Hill Cars & Coffee every fourth Saturday, and there is a fair amount of live music.

“I play piano and sing a couple times a month, having been in Christian music before coming into healthcare,” says Stephens. “Our bus driver is a retired music minister and has a choir called the Gold Tones, and I play piano for them. A lot of our residents sing or play piano or guitar, and we even have a gentleman who plays harmonica on our mezzanine. So it feels a little like Mayberry,” she concludes, referring to the fictional community that was the setting for several popular sitcoms in the 1960s. 

More notably, still, there are a dozen married couples who call The Goldton home. And a sizable percentage of residents don’t need assistance with medication management or taking care of basic daily needs. 

“We have a hospitality environment with healthcare services and not the other way around,” explains Stephens, though The Goldton does offer a full range of services—including bathing, dressing, grooming, and toileting assistance—to those who need it.

The community also features a memory care “neighborhood” made of 16 private and shared studios where associates “provide more one-on-one interaction and personalized programming, so we can engage everyone at their level of ability and interest,” as Stephens puts it.

All meals are chef-prepared—a mix of daily specials and classic favorites served in a restaurant-style setting, with a private dining room available for family events.

The Goldton also has an apartment available for respite stays, a great resource for family members caring for elders. Family members who want to stay on site can also utilize the space when visiting residents, a significant percentage of whom have come from other states.

“I encourage people to look at reviews when they are looking at options,” offers Stephens. “I am paid to tell you all the great things about us, but to have someone that has actually lived here or have had their loved ones here, that’s really the information I would seek—someone else’s testimonial.”

Stephens—who has been in her role since December 2021—also encourages the Spring Hill community to use her as a resource, as she has been working in the industry for more than two decades. 

“If you need a resource for anything senior living related—like hearing aids or eyeglasses—and you hit a brick wall and are not sure what to do, I am glad to be a resource. I’ve been in this industry so long, and not everyone needs assisted living, but everyone is on the journey, and I want to be a resource to the greater community and help people along the way,” she says.

“That’s what you do in a community; you help each other,” concludes Stephens. “The resident becomes family to us, and we become an extension of your family.”
 

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