Photo courtesy of Parkway Place
HOUSTON, May 21, 2018 – Buckner Retirement Services is pleased to announce the hiring of Constance Lafuente as wellness director of Parkway Place, a faith-based senior living community in Houston. The 33-year-old former collegiate athlete brings a wealth of knowledge about health and physical fitness education to her new role. She recently served as an exercise specialist and director of group fitness for a personal training company, as well as a certified adjunct professor of kinesiology at Lonestar Community College. In the former role, she educated students about health and wellness. In her new position, Lafuente will oversee programming in the state-of-the art wellness center which provides workout equipment and pools for residents to use, as well as fitness classes and personalized wellness programs. While this is her first job at a senior living community, she’s no stranger to working with seniors.
“Over the last ten years I helped people of all ages, but I found spending time with seniors the most rewarding,” said Lafuente. “My grandmother was a recreational director for a senior living community, and when I visited her the residents inspired me. I developed a sweet spot for that age group. When I taught seniors to swim or participated in personal training sessions with them, I knew I needed to make a full career out of it. It’s rewarding to know you made a positive impact on someone’s life.”
“Constance’s dedication to health and wellness and her ability to understand seniors greatly benefit her in leading our wellness center,” said Susan Phelps, executive director. “She is knowledgeable, and the residents appreciate her help. They genuinely understand the impact she makes, and it’s a blessing to see. She has wonderful ideas to encourage the residents and utilize the wellness center to its full potential. I look forward to seeing what she accomplishes in this new role.”
Lafuente started her role with a survey for residents that outlines their fitness class preferences. She plans to develop new classes quarterly and will add more strength classes. Since falling is a concern for seniors, Lafuente will target muscle groups that help prevent falls. She will also develop an incentive program which includes highlighting the healthiest resident each month.
Lafuente graduated from Bloomsburg University with a Bachelor of Science in Exercise with a concentration in nutrition. She received her Master of Science in Health Education from East Stroudsburg University.
If you are a member of the media and would like to cover this story, please contact Chelsi Smith via phone at 214-378-7970 ext. 238 or email at csmith@thepointgroup.com or Amy Jones via phone at 214-378-7970 ext. 302 or email at ajones@thepointgroup.com.
ABOUT PARKWAY PLACE
Parkway Place in Houston, a Buckner Retirement Services community, is a nonprofit, faith-based senior living community located on a 15-acre manicured campus that includes flowers, walking paths, gazebos, benches and raised gardens, putting green, as well as an outdoor heated pool and spas. It is also one of the few Independent Living communities in West Houston that has no entrance fees or long-term contracts and provides spacious apartment residences on a rental basis. As a life plan community, Parkway Place offers Independent Living apartment residences, spacious Assisted Living, and innovative Memory Care and Skilled Nursing services. The community offers 159 independent apartments, 58 assisted living apartments, 24 memory care support residences and skilled nursing for 60 residents.
At Parkway Place, residents can enjoy delicious dining and warm fellowship in beautifully arranged dining rooms, as well as maintain active lifestyles at the wellness center. The community also has an on-site life enrichment coordinator, chapel, full-time chaplain, on-site worship services, beauty/barber salon and weekly housekeeping/linen service. For more information about Parkway Place, please visit the community website at www.bucknerparkwayplace.org or call (281) 677–5912.
ABOUT BUCKNER RETIREMENT SERVICES
Buckner Retirement Services, Inc. is one of the largest not-for-profit senior living organizations in Texas dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for senior adults and their families by promoting an active, healthy Christian lifestyle while maintaining their independence and dignity. Buckner Retirement Services is part of Buckner International, a global faith-based ministry serving people each year in the United States and worldwide.