Some of the area’s oldest residents have a new watchful eye looking after them.
Larry Beltran was recently named as the new administrator at S.P.J.S.T. Assisted Living and S.P.J.S.T. Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation.
He succeeds Woody Richards as admin.
“Woody Richards was here for a long time,” said Beltran, “and he ran a good, tight ship and had a good reputation in the area.”
S.P.J.S.T., a fraternal benefit society, established its first nursing community in Taylor in 1957. SPJST’s board of directors for its communities of care is committed to providing the highest quality care for their guests. High quality of care for the aged was their original mission. This continues to be their focus as they move forward in planning for the future health care needs of the aging population in Texas. The staff in these communities consists of many local residents who have strong ties to the local area.
Beltran continues that reputation since his wife’s family is from the area. His parents- in-law own Marx Service, a local air conditioning, heating and appliance repair company.
“My family being from here, (Richards) had recently left and so I called up here and got a contact name of somebody from the board whose was taking applications,” said Beltran, “so I sent my resume to him.”
Beltran was born in west Texas but has worked through the state. He most recently came from The Woodlands “I’ve been working with seniors, nursing homes and assisted living for almost 30 years,” he said.
As administrator, he will oversee both the assisted living and nursing facilities.
“I kind of run back and forth and making sure that everybody’s being well taken care of and try to visit with the residents and see what we can do to make things better for them and try to make their lives as good as possible,” said Beltran. “We try to do what we can do as a group.”
Making sure that group shares his passion for their residents is paramount.
“No. 1 job is to hire good people who care,” said Beltran. “You can teach anybody to do a job, but you can’t teach them to care.”
So, the new man in charge is impressed with what’s around him.
“It’s a great facility and it’s wonderful people here. It’s a great staff,” said Beltran. “The community has always had a great reputation in the healthcare market.”
Outside of the buildings, Beltran has appreciated the friendly community. He’s now trying to get involved with local organizations like the Rotary, Greater Taylor Chamber of Commerce and other opportunities to contribute while also seeking volunteers.
“I like Taylor a lot,” said Beltran. “It’s got a nice pace. It’s slower. I know it’s growing with Samsung coming in, but I mean it’s still a small town.”
