Choose Granite Countertops Near Me Mashpee, MA for Elegance and Durability

This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Bridges® by EPOCH at Mashpee is Nationally Recognized for Excellence in Dementia Care

MASHPEE, MA – June, 2025 – Celebrating 10 years of providing personalized and compassionate care to its residents, Bridges® by EPOCH at Mashpee held two special events on June 11th to mark its 10th Anniversary.

The events gathered senior care professionals, residents, families, team members, and local dignitaries to commemorate a decade of memory care services to the community.

The festive afternoon featured a specially crafted "Golden Memories" cocktail, passed appetizers, and the elegant sounds of a live trio. A highlight of the celebration was the creation of a time capsule containing photos and other Bridges memorabilia. The capsule will be buried in the main courtyard to be unearthed in another 10 years. The festivities culminated with a beautiful 10-year anniversary cake. Earlier in the day, senior care professionals from around the region attended a gathering to recognize the anniversary.

A particularly poignant moment of the afternoon ceremony was the special presentation made to Mashpee Selectman’s Board Member John Cotton, whose late mother, Jane, was a resident of the community from March through November of 2022. Mr. Cotton was presented with a framed picture of the Bridges® by EPOCH at Mashpee building incorporating images of his late mother. The gift was signed by the entire Bridges® by EPOCH at Mashpee management team.

"Celebrating ten years of Bridges® by EPOCH at Mashpee is a testament to the unwavering dedication of our incredible team and the trust placed in us by the families we serve," said Edmund A. Tucker Sr. C.H.A., Executive Director, Bridges® by EPOCH at Mashpee. "It was especially meaningful to present Mr. John Cotton with a tribute to his mother, Jane. Her time with us, like that of every resident, enriches our community and underscores our profound commitment to providing an environment where individuals with Alzheimer's and other dementias can thrive."

Bridges® by EPOCH at Mashpee is owned by EPOCH Senior Living, a premier provider of exceptional senior living services throughout the Northeast. The community fosters an enriching lifestyle that enhances self-esteem and promotes independence and choice. Residents benefit from expert, around-the-clock support, on-site licensed nursing, engaging activities, and chef-prepared dining—all within a beautiful community tailored exclusively for those with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. It serves families in Mashpee, Bourne, Barnstable, Falmouth, Sandwich, Hyannis, and surrounding areas.

The community is rated among the Best Memory Care communities in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, also receiving ‘High Performing’ accolades for food & dining and activities & enrichment in memory care. Furthermore, its Purple Flag for Dementia Care™ accreditation signifies an ongoing commitment to excellence through adherence to 60 best practices, extensive team member training, and a collaborative approach within a safe and functional environment.

About EPOCH Senior Living

Waltham-based EPOCH Senior Living has been a leader in New England senior living since 1997. Known for delivering outstanding experiences and purpose-built properties, the organization currently operates 11 Bridges® by EPOCH communities and five Waterstone Senior Living communities throughout the Northeast. EPOCH is committed to providing premier residences, high-touch services and wellness opportunities that enable seniors to enjoy comfortable, healthy and dignified lifestyles in gracious settings.

Mashpee is the friendliest town on Cape Cod, according to Deb Kaye, former town clerk and a resident for more than 35 years.

“It’s just such a sweet community,” Kaye said.

There are things to do for people of all ages in Mashpee, Kaye said.

“We have restaurants, shops, music,” Kaye said. “You can go to the beach. There’s mini golf. At Mashpee Commons, the rec department does things for the kids. One night a week they have bands that play in the summer, and people can bring their lawn chairs.”

Kaye offered the following picks for what to do when visiting Mashpee.

Mashpee is special because it’s home to the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, Kaye said.

“They are just the nicest group of people,” Kaye said.

The federally recognized tribe, known as the People of the First Light, has about 2,600 enrolled citizens and 150 acres of Mashpee land, according to its website.

Guests can learn more about the tribe at the Mashpee Wampanoag Museum, billed as the only museum devoted exclusively to Wampanoag history.

Inside the museum, guests learn the history and culture of the Wampanoag people from the Stone Age to present day. Visitors can view ancient artifacts such as domestic tools, baskets, weapons, hunting and fishing gear, and more. There’s also a diorama that shows a typical scene from an early Wampanoag settlement.

Visit one of the oldest schools on Cape Cod: the Mashpee One-Room Schoolhouse.

The schoolhouse was built in 1831 and is where Wamponoag children in South Mashpee were educated through 1901. The structure was moved to Mashpee Community Park in 2008. Visitors can learn about Mashpee’s Native American history as well as what a typical school day was like for children in the schoolhouse in the 1800s.

“We have people from the archives who dress up in that era of clothing,” Kaye said. “They absolutely love, love giving these tours and teaching non tribal members what people of this town went through.”

There is always something happening at Mashpee Commons, Kaye said, an open-air shopping center with more than 100 businesses, including restaurants, shops, and entertainment venues.

During the summer, Mashpee Commons hosts outdoor movie nights on Thursday nights and live music on Friday nights.

The Lanes Bowl & Bistro is a fun place to hang out, said Kaye. It offers indoor and outdoor seating, bowling, a bistro with locally brewed beers on tap, live entertainment, and an outside bocce court.

“In the summertime, I love going into Mashpee Commons and meeting friends where we can sit outside and enjoy eating, laughing, and people-watching,” Kaye said.

Kaye recommends visitors check out South Cape Beach State Park, located along the southeast shore of Waquoit Bay.

“It’s gorgeous,” she said of the beach, and noted how soft the white sand is. “There’s a boardwalk that takes you out to a platform.”

Kaye said she has performed weddings at the beach. There are trails for hiking, picnic areas with grills for eating, and it’s a great place to watch the sunset, Kaye said.

Beach goers should know that the beach is also accessible, she said. Sunbathing wheelchairs are available for guests.

Reader recommendations

“The most beautiful town in the Cape,” wrote @steve_parziale

Food and beverage:

Bleu — @laur_gottlieb

Polar Cave Ice Cream — @allisongilson

The Lure — @misscathrynanne

Raw Bar — @sunshineandseaweed, @jjmros, @lliu88, @nickgeifman

Siena — @auntiejen_reiki

Zoe’s Pizza — @cmichienzie

Activities:

Mashpee Commons — @jpmuczko, @prepsternewjersey, @tobyjpittman

A town meeting vote in 2024 to change a zoning bylaw helped move the project forward

William Russell hopes his plans for indoor pickleball courts in Mashpee will respond to "an unmet need year-round on Cape Cod."

Russell, a businessman, wants to build a 37,000-square-foot facility — named Island Pickle — on the 3.6-acre lot at 51 Evergreen Circle. Planned are a restaurant/tavern, 10 indoor pickleball courts, six indoor golf simulations, locker rooms, and general common areas encompassing 34,500 square foot with 91 parking spaces.

At outdoor courts, snowy or rainy weather can keep players away, he said. Those courts are typically "closed at dusk and they don't open until after people are at work," said Russell in a phone interview.

"My facility is intended to be open from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. approximately, so I can accommodate people playing before work or after work, regardless of your schedule," he said.

Pickleball is typically played on a 44-foot-long and 20-foot-wide court and features players using a paddle to whack a small plastic ball back and forth over a net.

On Cape Cod, there are year-round outdoor pickleball courts available for players in several towns, and some indoor courts that are either year-round or for winter only.

Tailored for both golf and pickleball players

Island Pickle intends to be tailored to both golf and pickleball players with substantial support of professional instructors from both sports. Russell plans to hire PGA professionals to provide lessons in the winter or early spring for people to hone their game before they go outdoors.

Russell also co-owns the Pineapple Caper Cafe in Osterville with his wife and is a commercial real estate specialist with Commercial Realty Advisors.

The site is a vacant, undeveloped lot and is currently owned by Evergreen Energy LLC, which bought it from Cape Cod Cooperative Bank in March 2016 for $1.6 million, according to the assessor's office.

Russell said he's under contract for the land and the sale is contingent upon passing permitting and approvals.

Russell had originally been eyeing Capetown Plaza on Iyannough Road in Hyannis as a location, but said that eventually fell through. In April 2023, he was listed as an applicant for a business plan to transform about half of the former Kmart there where Floor & Decor now is into a pickleball complex as part of the WS Development project.

'Noise insulated'

While the sport has exploded in popularity in recent years, its loudness has proven to be controversial. In 2023, a Barnstable Superior Court judge allowed for a preliminary injunction in Falmouth barring the game at a certain set of pickleball courts due to neighbor complaints.

"My tavern will be noise insulated from the indoor courts, so the indoor courts will themselves have acoustic restrictions to minimize the noise when you're in the court areas," said Russell. "But outside those court areas, whether you're at my outdoor patio or in the golf area or you're in the tavern itself, those are going to have significant noise reduction from the noise of play."

Next steps for project

At the May 2024 town meeting in Mashpee, voters approved a zoning bylaw amendment for the project because the lot is in an industrial zone that previously did not allow for indoor recreational facilities.

In January, the Cape Cod Commission approved the project as a development of regional impact, with conditions. The commission review was required because the planned facility will be over 10,000 square feet.

The next step is for Russell to obtain a special permit from the Mashpee Planning Board. The process, beginning on Feb. 5, could last several weeks, he said. After a Planning Board review, if successful, Russell can file his final building permit application.

If successful, he estimates that construction could begin mid-April, and he is eyeing a potential November opening.

Zane Razzaq writes about housing and real estate. Reach her at zrazzaq@capecodonline.com. Follow her on X @zanerazz.

Thanks to our subscribers, who help make this coverage possible. If you are not a subscriber, please consider supporting quality local journalism with a Cape Cod Times subscription. Here are our subscription plans.