SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Belmont Village Senior Living, a leading developer, owner and operator of senior living communities across the U.S., including 15 in California, is proud to announce that Gilda Deocares, Director of Resident Care Services at Belmont Village Senior Living in San Jose, was awarded the California Assisted Living Association (CALA) Excellence in Service Award for Outstanding Community Nurse. Presented at the 2024 Spring Conference & Trade Show, the CALA Excellence in Service Awards are given to those who go above and beyond to support the care and well-being of residents, help their fellow team members and are leaders in their communities. Allyson Fujii, tenured Memory Programs Coordinator at Belmont Village San Jose, was also named a finalist for the Outstanding Department Director.
“We are honored to have our team members recognized for their dedication to our residents and communities,” states Mercedes Kerr, President of Belmont Village Senior Living. “Gilda and Allyson serve as mentors to their fellow team members at Belmont Village San Jose, both having built deep, trusting relationships with residents and their families. Their dedication to care is inspiring.”
Deocares is celebrating her 15th anniversary with Belmont Village San Jose this June, having joined the community in 2009 as a licensed vocational nurse shortly after graduating from college and quickly being promoted to wellness coordinator and then director of resident care services in 2016. She fosters growth internally by training caregivers and future directors of resident care services, and encouraging team members to go to nursing school to advance their careers. Having grown up in the Philippines, she has affectionately earned the nickname “Ate Gilda,” which means “older sister Gilda” in Tagalog, with her San Jose team members, as Deocares considers everyone within the community as family.
“Gilda is considered the unofficial mayor of Belmont Village San Jose due to her warmth and ability to bring people together,” said Kerr. “We are proud of Gilda’s growth at Belmont Village and her commitment to the growth of others around her. Gilda brings to life Belmont Village’s core values and her dedication is evident in many ways, from her ability to detail a resident’s health history without even opening a chart to the way she promotes the development of fellow team members.”
As memory programs coordinator, Fujii oversees the care, programming and experiences of residents in the memory care neighborhood, but her contributions extend to everyone within the San Jose community. Fujii trains and mentors team members company-wide and takes the time to understand each colleague’s strengths.
“Allyson has emerged as the preeminent preceptor for our Memory Programs Coordinator-In-Training Program,” said Kerr. “Allyson’s success in developing future leaders at Belmont Village is rooted in her keen ability to understand our residents and to enhance their quality of life.”
Kerr added, “We are grateful to Gilda and Allyson for their dedication, and how well they each embody the best of Belmont Village.”
About Belmont Village Senior Living
Founded in Houston in 1997, Belmont Village is an integrated developer, owner, and operator of high-quality senior living communities, with more than 4,700 employees and 5,000 units in total. Its 35 operating locations across the country and in Mexico City provide award-winning assisted living and memory care programs and ongoing collaboration including UC San Diego, USC, UCLA and more to continually improve their cognitive health and evidence-based enrichment programs. The company is a market leader in major markets including the San Diego, San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Dallas, Austin, and South Florida. Renowned for distinctive design, high standards of life and safety, and reputation for leading edge, quality of care, Belmont Village is certified as a Great Place to Work®, has been ranked as one of FORTUNE Magazine’s 50 Best Workplaces for Aging Services since 2018, and has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as Best in Senior Living since 2022. www.belmontvillage.com. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.
