Our people are our passion! Read how the power of that passion has affected those around us.

Lifestyle

I never thought I would be living in retirement community eating salmon and drinking champagne.

The thing that stands out the most to me about my family of friends here is that everyone is a person who has left their mark and made the world a better place for having been a part of it. Many have received National or International acclaim, but the neatest thing about them is they will never tell you. Greatness and humility are a hard combination to beat, but the Brazos Towers residents exemplify it every day.

If you are a friendly, warm, supportive, accepting, and caring person you will love it here.

In short, if you want to experience the elegance, comfort, and pleasure of going on a cruise with a loving family for the rest of your life without ever leaving home this is the place to do it. I feel so strongly about the residents here that I wrote a holiday letter to them at Christmas time expressing how lucky I felt to be a part of their lives. Just this week I had yet another person stop me in the hallway and thank me for expressing her feelings so well in the letter. Two hundred plus people can’t all be wrong.

Brazos Towers at Bayou Manor had everything I was looking for: close to my children, comfortable living quarters, good management, easy access and good parking facilities. It wasn’t hard to make a decision. All 5 of my children also had an opportunity to come see it before I made my decision, and they were delighted with the result. I have lived here since 2012 and have never regretted my decision but enjoy my new home more and more.

It seems that every day a new “goody” appears as a regular service at Brazos Towers at Bayou Manor. I feel like all the Staff are my relatives!! Annnnd— I am SAFE.

Bayou Manor has been my intended home since I came with my family to the dedication of the first building in 1963. I came to live here April 21, 1999. Now, over 20 years later, I am happily at home, with many friends who’ve been with me a long time, and those who have recently joined us in the East Tower. We are a great family of staff and residents, cared for, challenged, and entertained! Come, see for yourself!

We first heard about Brazos Towers through a dinner/meeting. They talked about many of the benefits of living in a retirement community. I think the part that remained with me was discussions about the benefit to our family, especially our children. Here is a place where we have multiple options of care, all under one roof – independent living, assisted living, memory care and a healthcare center. It has been a release from concern about the uncertainties of the future. We were also attracted to the very friendly, more relaxed living requirements. Probably the most attractive thing about coming to Brazos Towers was our relationship with Michelle Watkins, the Director of Marketing. She was perceived as a thoughtful, caring person and our continued relationship has verified that as well.

The transition from having lived in an 1800 sf house for 43 years to a 1065 sf apartment was a challenge, but having stayed the course, was another great release. We discovered that we have a bounteous life with the belongings we brought, experienced a lot of pleasure in giving many of our things to organizations, friends, children and good causes. Living with less works!

Our daily life at Brazos Towers is one of independent living. We already had several outside interests such as season tickets to plays, concerts, etc. However, we are continually tempted by the numerous attractive offerings of Brazos Towers, like concerts, movies, plays, exercise classes, socials, games, just to name a few. We have taken advantage of several wonderful dining experiences like Father’s Day and the annual Seasonal celebration meal. We regret having missed a number of wonderful meals, like the monthly candlelight dinners and birthday celebrations because of our own schedule conflicts. Imagine having to turn down lobster! I have had to ask people to stop telling me what they had!

We really celebrate our new home. It definitely feels like HOME! It felt that way from the first day we moved. It is comfortable, has a wonderful view and accommodates our every need. When we invite friends for a meal and a tour, they all have gone away most impressed and they confirm that this is the place for us. Apparently it shows!

One of the unknowns for us, having never experienced living in such a place, is the number of new friends we have made. It seems like every day that we meet someone else and celebrate their stories of how they met, when the moved to Houston, the children that form their support group, and the list goes on. We look forward to meals when we can join with friends we have already established as well as new ones we have not met yet. It is a joy to have discussions with people who knew what a dial telephone was, telephone operators, stick shift cars . . .

In summary, this is the right place for us. It is a joy living here and we look forward to whatever the future holds!

I have met so many interesting people here!! I am amazed that I have friends from China, England, Greece, Switzerland! So many have moved here to be close to their adult children!! It makes for a very interesting community! And we all get along so well together!!!!!

Moving here is the best decision I have ever made. It is a lifestyle with a future not a past. I took the best parts of life and moved them here with me. This made room for new friends, new experiences, and a new outlook on life. My home is now a community full of interesting people, friendly faces, the sound of laughter, all in an elegant setting that I do not have to take care of! Come join us!

Who says, “Cupid never visits the retired”? Moving into Brazos Towers at Bayou Manor across the hall from each other, meeting in the hall as we went to breakfasts and lunches – these were the beginnings that led to a delightfully happy marriage. We have found the perfect place, Brazos Towers at Bayou Manor, to enjoy our lives together living in this lovely and gracious community.

At Brazos Towers they go above and beyond their duties with smiles on their faces! I am always greeted each day with a SMILE along with their name and that they will be taking care of me today. It makes me feel so good and I am appreciative.

Talk about “time on your dance cards” there is something in the air here at BT that makes life more varied and interesting than ever. And busier!

Quality of Care

Sharing with you… I remember when Mom was in healthcare the first time. It seemed to be taking a long time getting her back to her apartment. When visiting, I was anxious that she was surrounded by so many residents that were so much worse off and I wanted her in a ‘healthier’, more ‘with it’ environment. I was a bit rude about it. Since then, with all the time I’ve spent with Mom in healthcare, I have quickly learned of the love and precious sweetness that happens on the second and third floors. It actually is a very special place and I am blessed to have been given a chance to understand that.

After 110 days of hospitalization, rehab and/or continued care in a nursing home, Dad came home today. He came back from a broken femur, anesthesia-induced dementia, bilateral pneumonia and an intestinal obstruction. And those were just the major issues. What a phenomenal medical team. His surgeon, cardiologist, primary doc and renal specialist are all awesome!

Dad spent the last couple of months at Brazos Towers at Bayou Manor, where the medical, nursing, physical therapy, care giving, dining and housekeeping teams were the most knowledgeable, helpful, compassionate and funny people I’ve encountered in the industry. Sheryl Callahan, you have created something wonderful at Brazos Towers! I cannot thank you enough. A special shout out to Gretel, dad’s favorite caregiver. She doted on dad and he adored her right back. While it’s good to have him home, we’ll miss everyone there!

Seniors are wise, and many of us have understandable material and physical concerns about moving to a retirement community. Will I outlive my money? Will the place feel like a glorified college dormitory where all of the students are on walkers? Will I be bored with the choices for outings and lectures and free movies? What if I don’t like the food? Do I have to play Bingo on Saturday night?

But many of us also have spiritual concerns. Will I find people to talk with about what really matters to me? What if I get separated from my faith community because I can no longer drive and my church or synagogue or mosque doesn’t have a van to pick me up? How can I stand to eat lunch or dinner with people who only want to chat about their ailments or their grandchildren?

A good retirement center is one that aims for a holistic environment where the physical, mental, social, emotional, and spiritual needs of the residents are listened to with care and with a view toward meeting those needs whenever possible.

Brazos Towers at Bayou Manor is sensitive to the spiritual needs of its residents, even when those needs are not expressed in religious terms, and it has recently created Life Matters, a monthly talking and listening group where residents gather with a facilitator to exchange their experiences about matters of heart and soul that affect everyone — matters such as forgiveness, and hope, and gratitude, and even anger. It’s an opportunity to “connect the dots” of where our life journeys have taken us, where we are now, and where we want to go in our remaining years. Most importantly, it’s an opportunity to give and receive the gifts of our wise selves to and from each other.

I enjoy the welcoming atmosphere from the staff and other residents that make living here so great.

Family Feedback

My mother and I took several months visiting 7 or 8 different facilities in this part of Houston. Many times we would get back to the car, look at each other and shake our heads ‘No’. With tears in her eyes, I would promise her that there was no way I would ever put her in a place like we had just visited.

Brazos Towers at Bayou Manor was honestly the last place we visited. Everyone we passed in the lobby & hallways greeted us with a big smile and a “how are you today?”!

After our tour , when we walked back to the car, my mom immediately turned to me with a huge smile and said, “I have found my new home!” She was eager to regain her independence in a place she could call her own. The rest is history. She is and has been so very happy at her new home, Brazos Towers at Bayou Manor.

I have known of the Brazos Presbyterian Homes, Inc. communities since the 1970s. My great-grandmother was a resident at Bayou Manor for about 10 years in independent living. My grandmother was a resident as soon as she turned 65 (the age requirement then) until her death 4 years later and loved it! My aunt and uncle were residents for almost 15 years in the 1990s and early 2000s (independent living to healthcare living). My father in law is currently a resident in healthcare at The Hallmark. He has been a resident there for 7 years. Although he has dementia, they engage him in Bingo and “Memory Magic” and take him on rides to see the city-scapes. My father is currently an independent living resident at Brazos Towers at Bayou Manor. He has become a social butterfly since moving after being displaced by Hurricane Harvey. Prior to that he was home 90% of the time with no interaction. He loves it! Bridge two days a week, canasta one day a week, bingo weekly (and he’s won, once), lunch time excursions to new restaurants he has not tried before, and walks in the rose gardens. Oh, and he is now affectionately known as “the puzzlemeister” as he is often found in the lobby working on whatever the current jigsaw puzzle is. BPHI is a wonderful non-profit corporation that focuses on a continuum of care for their senior residents. If you are looking for yourself or a family member, you should check it out!!!!

We have discovered that one of the most important things to Mom is her independence. In late 2012 when we moved Mom from her home in Fredericksburg, Texas to Houston to be closer to me and my sister, we were under the assumption that the best thing for Mom would be to move her into my home with my husband and myself. We did that for about 6 months. We could not have been more wrong if we had tried. Even though Mom had everything she needed here in my home and enjoyed our company, I watched my Mom literally deteriorate to the point of hardly being able to walk. She sat in a recliner and watched TV all day. My Mom is a fantastic cook and loves to cook. She wouldn’t even walk into my kitchen unless I was in there preparing a meal. I couldn’t figure out why she just sat in the recliner and didn’t try to do anything. Upon questioning her & listening to her, I came to realize that she felt like a guest in my home and was afraid to go into the kitchen & cook for fear of breaking any of my dishes or things. None of the items in my home were her things.

When I started talking about an Independent Facility living quarters, she immediately perked up. She and I took several months visiting 7 or 8 different facilities in this part of Houston. Many times we would get back to the car, look at each other and shake our heads ‘No’. With tears in her eyes, I would promise her that there was no way I would ever put her in a place like we had just visited. Bayou Manor was honestly the last place we visited. Everyone we passed in the lobby & hallways greeted us with a big smile and a “how are you today”! After our tour and conversation with Donna, we walked back to the car. Mom immediately turned to me with a huge smile and said, “I have found my home!”

In January, 2013 when we moved her into Bayou Manor, the movers moved her furniture in fairly late in the day. The 3 of us and our spouses were working feverishly to unpack her things and set-up her furniture. I could see that we were not going to get it all done that day. I said, “Mom, I think you can just come spend one more night at my house and I will bring you back tomorrow morning.”  She looked at me and said, “No, just set my bed up and put my sheets and blanket on it and I will be fine until tomorrow morning.” She was that eager to regain her independence. About that time her next door neighbor knocked on her door, introduced herself and asked if she could walk Mom down to the dining room for dinner. Mom was elated and took off with her new friend. The rest is history. She is and has been so happy at Bayou Manor.

Mrs. Sylvia reports what an amazing/fantastic staff we have on the second floor. I can’t ask for anything better as far as care for my mom. The staff is very loving/caring. My mom is very happy here and I can go out of town with a sense of peace no worries about my mom being taking care of. Overall, she is happy with staff, the care her mom is receiving and the facility. Thanks

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