Treemont Retirement Blog

If you know a senior that needs more support, we hope that you will call Treemont Retirement Community. Our resident counselors, Lupe Sepulveda and Linda Parra, are available to talk through the range of senior care options, and help direct you to the right level of care and senior community, even if that community ends up not being Treemont. As part of the education process, Treemont is pleased to be hosting a six-part educational seminar, The Road Map to Senior Care, designed to help families navigate the maze of senior care options.

The next presentation entitled, “The Talk: Effective Discussion of Senior Care Options” is September 26^th at 6pm in the Treemont Auditorium, located at 2501 Westerland Drive, Houston, TX 77063. Refreshments will be served.

Our presenter is Stephen Andriko, author of The Road Map to Senior Care, a book which examines all of the options available for senior care. As a noted public speaker he delivers presentations regarding senior care options, including with the Alzheimer’s Association Speakers Bureau.

Change is scary – especially for a loved one who has lived in the same home for decade.

Even as Marilyn and Bob got older, they never considered moving into a retirement home for many reasons. But as their health continued to decline, they realized a senior community was a good option.

“After talking with our family, we decided it would be better to do so sooner than later, when we could make the decision without someone making it for us,” they said. Marilyn and Bob are part of the majority of seniors who only considered the move after significant health issues forced them to. Ironically, they are also like many of Treemont Retirement Community’s residents in Houston who now tell their friends they wished they made the change to avoid the severity of their health problems, or to have an earlier start on enjoying a renewed social life, improved comfort and boosted confidence.

What allowed them to take a new look at the possibility that retirement living might actually be worth some serious consideration?

The purpose of Senior Allegiance is to permit Treemont residents to maintain an independent lifestyle in their own apartment for as long as possible. Seniors want to maintain their independence and a small, helping hand can mean all the difference between staying healthy or having continued health setbacks that require hospitalization or a higher level of care, such as assisted living or nursing. We are fortunate that Senior Allegiance, as part of its Medicare Home Health Program, has a full-time Psychiatric Nurse Dina Gudas, RN.

Senior Allegiance Administrator Karina Walker says:  “With her extensive psychiatry knowledge and compassion, Dina has contributed to one the factors that make Senior Allegiance so unique and such as asset to the Treemont Community. The passion she has for psychiatric nursing shows in the way she cares for her patients. From teaching patients coping skills, working with psychiatric and primary

Many of you have seen a warm, friendly face walking around the Treemont campus. Sheila Quia is Senior Allegiance’s Medicare Quality Assurance (QA) Coordinator. She is also the liaison with Medical Director Dr. Adrian Zaharia, a physician for many Treemont residents, and their families. 

Are you aware that Medicare covers the cost of many of the services that allow you to remain active, especially if you have been hospitalized in the past year?  Senior Allegiance will work with your doctor to help identify service needs that can be provided under the Medicare program, including physical, occupational or speech therapy as well as nursing care. In her Quality Assurance role, Sheila reviews nurses’ Medicare notes to make sure they comply with doctors’ orders, and verifies that they qualify for Medicare home health and therapy.

Director of Nursing Karina Walker says, “Sheila has been an integral part of the Senior Allegiance team. She has a keen eye for details which comes in handy when

Treemont Health Care Center recently completed an excellent survey process in May. Each year, nursing homes have an annual survey, conducted by the State of Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) surveyors. The Nursing Facility Inspection survey is an in-depth look at the facility’s policy, procedures and practices, typically by a team of 4 to 6 surveyors. The Survey includes 17 areas, including: Resident Rights, Quality of Life, Resident Assessment Quality of Care, Nursing Services, Dietary Services, Infection Control, Physical Plant and Environment, and Administration.

“This was a stellar survey and the best survey Treemont has had in the recent years. I’m very proud of the hard work that our new Administrator Cynthia Lamison and Director of Nursing Sheree Wade have done, with the support of the full Treemont team, which is reflected in this year’s survey results,” says Owner Tom Witt.”

According to Cynthia, “One of the surveyors made an observation that our medication technician Steven Gardner deserves an award for his work. His attention to detail and care for the residents reflects the type of devoted employee Treemont has on its team.”