Belmont Village Senior Living’s Karisti Julia Wins Texas Assisted Living Association(TALA) Hero Award

(Featured Photo: Karisti Julia.)* Ensuring residents have been well cared for, safe, healthy and engaged throughout the pandemic, Belmont Village Turtle Creek’s Karisti Julia has received the TALA Hero award from the Texas Assisted Living Association (TALA) for outstanding achievement in sales and marketing.

“We are so proud of Karisti and our entire staff, who put rigorous safety measures in place during the pandemic to safeguard our Belmont Village communities and who worked 24/7 to keep our residents engaged and connected mentally, physically and socially,” says Belmont Village Founder and CEO Patricia Will. “Recognition from the Texas Assisted Living Association is especially meaningful to us, and we couldn’t agree more that Karisti is a true hero – not only during the pandemic, but daily as she helps aging adults happily live and thrive in our community instead of alone at home.”

TALA helps consumers, physicians, financiers, elected officials, regulators, media, family members and others understand the assisted living option as a compassionate and less-costly long term care alternative for their loved ones, providing freedom of choice, independence, security, and an active, meaningful life.

Active in the Dallas healthcare community, Karisti is truly passionate about the health and safety of aging adults. She has worked tirelessly to ensure that healthcare professionals, hospital discharge planners, physicians, and geriatric care managers understand the benefits of living at Belmont Village, even during a global crisis like COVID-19.

One of the many ways that Karisti shows her love to Belmont Village residents and employees when they are ill or struggling is by delivering meals and flowers; she always seems to know when someone needs a little extra encouragement or comfort. She sits on the board or holds an officer position at many organizations, including Casa de Vida, an outreach ministry of NorthPark Presbyterian Church dedicated to supporting those with Alzheimer’s; University of Texas Southwestern Geriatric Task Force; AWARE, a nonprofit dedicated to helping fight Alzheimer’s Disease; and Dallas Area Gerontological Society (DAGS).

“During the pandemic we had to create a new paradigm to virtually connect customers and team members with national experts in heart, brain and healthy living says Karisti. “It was an honor for me to help create an ongoing national webinar series with more than 5,000 attendees from across the nation. Dallas was hit especially hard during the pandemic, but I knew our seniors

were safe and well cared for. If it were my mom or dad, I know I would not have wanted them to be home alone during COVID-19, as so many elderly people felt isolated, depressed, and were unable to care for themselves.

“With boundless energy, Karisti’s drive, positive attitude, grit and integrity are among the many things that make for a great sales leader,” says Nancy Sanders, Executive Director of Belmont Village Turtle Creek. “But while her title is sales and marketing, it’s more about her passion for seniors and the love she has for our research-based, intellectually rich programing like music and art therapy, the Big Beats Program for residents with Parkinson’s Disease, and innovative activities like mindfulness training, gardening, fitness, exercise, yoga, tai chi, meditation and outdoor events.”

About Belmont Village Senior Living

Founded in Houston in 1997, Belmont Village is an integrated developer, owner, and operator of highest quality independent, assisted living and award-winning memory care communities for older adults. With more than 4,000 employees, Belmont Village communities are renowned for distinctive design; high standards of life safety; quality of care; and leading edge, award-winning programs. Belmont Village is certified as a Great Place to Work® and has been ranked since

2018 as one of FORTUNE Magazine’s 50 Best Workplaces for Aging Services. Learn more about Belmont Village at  www.belmontvillage.com and on  LinkedIn, Facebook,  Instagram, and Twitter.

*Photo by Dana Driensky.