The Village at Willow Crossings Resident Charlotte Beary Honored with Mass-ALA Resident Spirit Award

Charlotte Beary, a resident of The Village at Willow Crossings, a Benchmark Assisted Living and Mind & Memory Care community in Mansfield, has been named a recipient of the Massachusetts Assisted Living Association (Mass-ALA) Resident Spirit Award.

The award recognizes assisted living residents from throughout the Commonwealth who make a meaningful difference in their communities through their kindness, involvement and positive spirit.

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Since moving to The Village at Willow Crossings in 2024, Beary, a retired special education teacher and Catholic nun, has become an unofficial ambassador for the community. She routinely welcomes new residents, helps them become comfortable in their new home, invites them to activities and offers friendship, encouragement and a listening ear to those who need it.

Known for her dry wit and sense of humor, Beary has a special ability to connect with others and help them feel at ease.

"Charlotte embodies what it means to be 'Called to Care,' which is one of Benchmark's core values," said Anne DeMinico, executive director of The Village at Willow Crossings. "She has an extraordinary ability to recognize when someone needs a friend, some encouragement or simply someone to listen. The impact she has had on our residents, families and associates is immeasurable, and we couldn't be prouder to see her recognized with this honor."

Her compassion was especially evident when a prospective resident visited the community with her daughter. Nervous about leaving her longtime home, the woman met Beary during her tour. Beary joined them for lunch, listened to her concerns and shared her own experience transitioning to assisted living. By the end of the visit, the woman told her daughter she was ready to make the move – and hoped Beary would become her neighbor.

Beary has made a similarly meaningful difference in the life of a longtime resident who had become increasingly anxious and withdrawn as her cognitive abilities changed. Beary made it her personal "calling" to earn the resident's trust and help her rediscover happiness and connection. Their relationship became so meaningful that the resident's family came to rely on Beary's reassuring presence.

Her willingness to support others is particularly remarkable given the challenges Beary herself has overcome. She arrived at Willow Crossings following a traumatic car accident that left her unable to walk, with braces on both legs and reliant on a wheelchair. Through rigorous physical therapy and tremendous determination, she regained her mobility and now walks with the assistance of a walker.

The Mass-ALA Resident Spirit Award celebrates residents whose enthusiasm, compassion and involvement enrich assisted living communities across Massachusetts.