Treemont Retirement Blog

Retirement community residents become “family,” fostering new friendships and relationships as they transition to a mutually supportive lifestyle. Part of the glue that cements this feeling of fellowship and well-being is the staff at a senior living community. At Treemont about 40% of employees have worked there for 10 years or more. A number have worked here for more than 30 years.

This includes Treemont’s Maintenance Director Don Ibanez who is approaching a

It is likely an understatement to say that most of us have “Covid Fatigue.” We yearn to return to “normal.” As we enter into cooler weather, however, nation-wide and locally, we are seeing a spike in Covid19 cases. No one is immune from this disease.

It is critical to safeguard ourselves and our neighbors. Studies show the risk for exposure reduces with the use of a mask. As we begin Flu season and continue dealing with COVID, it is imperative that we continue to wear our mask and follow social distance. It is easy to have the urge to relax but we must keep doing our part. As activities resume in Independent Living, we must make sure that everyone in the activity is wearing a mask. This includes small gatherings

Residents move to a senior independent living community with the desire to stay independent as long as possible. Treemont introduced the concept of “Independence Plus” on our campus. Seniors who need help with activities of daily living can receive personal assistance services (PAS) and Medicare home health services in their apartment instead of moving to a licensed assisted living facility. Senior Allegiance is the “Plus” in Independence Plus.”

Many of you recognize Medication Aide Myrtle Evita Lambert who administers medication daily to our residents and reports changes.

A key Senior Allegiance PAS Program is Medication Management. The most basic program is for a resident to be reminded twice daily to take their pills. A more robust plan involves the

Senior Living Houston: Maintenance Worker Cezar Garcia

A key reason seniors choose retirement living is a desire to no longer have to worry about maintenance and upkeep of their home. Treemont is known for the care and attention to resident’s maintenance needs. We are delighted to welcome Cezar Garcia to our Treemont Maintenance Department. He is the newest member of the maintenance team. Cezar’s duties include responding to work orders to fix resident apartment issues involving: plumbing, air conditioning, garbage disposal or TV issues. Sometimes he receives a request to hang a resident’s picture.

Treemont residents have this to say about moving to a senior living community such as Treemont.

• No more upkeep of a large home!
• No more chores or housekeeping!
• No more maintenance!

Senior Living Houston: Resident Counselor Keri Shaw

Patience and good listening skills are key attributes of a resident counselor, working with families and residents seeking to find a senior community to spend their later years. This is what distinguishes Resident Counselor Keri Shaw. Executive Director Rodney Brooks lured Keri out of retirement 3 years ago to work weekends to provide 24/7 customer service to our future residents. Rodney says, “Keri was retired from an accomplished career in the senior living industry, including as a General Manager in Oregon. I saw that Keri had the skill set to effectively help guide seniors in their retirement living decision.” 

Keri says, “I like helping people. Making a decision to move from one’s own home into a community is a big decision. Sometimes it has become necessary for many different reasons. I try to help the seniors and their families because usually everyone

There are many benefits to seniors of living in a retirement community. One is “peace of mind” that they will be safe and secure with people around to check in on them, particularly as we approach hurricane season. Hurricanes often pose more damage risks than just wind damage. During the 500 year storm of Hurricane Harvey, the biggest threat to Houston was flooding. Treemont is fortunate to be located where there was no building flooding during Harvey. But Treemont still had to minimize issues related to the general impact of flooding on staff access and power outages.

Living at Treemont provides a layer of comfort since the community prepares for all types of emergencies. Independent living has a small power generator that can keep its kitchen refrigerators and freezer operational. From that, Treemont can power its phone system for the front office and connect some lighting for the lobby area. Treemont staff is present to distribute flashlights