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On a mission to brighten lives.

The Retreat was founded by Lena Smith and Robert Metz. Both are recognized experts in long-term care and have owned and operated successful healthcare programs in New Mexico. Through their experiences they noticed a need not being addressed by many other Alzheimer’s care facilities. While many facilities offered traditional care, few were also designed to meet the emotional and quality of life needs of people living with Alzheimer’s and related dementias. They created The Retreat so people living with this disease could do more than just live, they could thrive.

People Lena Smith, Ph.D. The Retreat is modeled after other successful facilities previously owned and operated by Lena Smith, Ph.D. Over the years, Dr. Smith found that even the best dementia care did not always care for the whole person – mind, body, and spirit. As a private owner and the clinical director for The Retreat, Lena brings her extensive expertise and 25 years of experience in the field of aging, healthcare, and elder programs to the design and implementation of The Retreat. Over the years, Lena has worked with seniors as a licensed social worker, licensed nursing home administrator, and as an owner and operator of Alzheimer’s care facilities. She is an adjunct instructor for Webster University’s graduate program in Gerontology, and an invited part-time instructor for the department of Individual, Family & Community Education at the University of New Mexico. Dr. Smith is a frequent presenter to community groups, and has presented to national audiences including the National Alzheimer’s Association and the American Society on Aging. Dr. Smith wrote each care program utilized by The Retreat after years of research and hand-on experience with persons living with dementia. Lena has conducted and presented research in the area of coping and stress reduction which has been presented to the international research community in Chicago and Paris. You will find Lena at The Retreat where she is happy to meet with you about your own individual story of coping with Alzheimer’s and dementia. Robert Metz Mr. Metz has twenty years of experience in developing and operating companies in both the public and private sectors throughout the United States. These companies include New Mexico-based businesses in hospice and home healthcare. Having a passion for healthcare, Mr Metz set out to bring a new standard to compassionate and loving care to those seniors his companies served. By creating innovative new approaches through strong leadership and proven management principles Mr. Metz strives to better the lives of the elderly. He now joins Dr. Lena Smith in bringing this same passion and high standards of care to The Retreat by serving as the Chief Financial Officer. David Peters, M.D. Dr. Peters began his medical career at the University of Nebraska, but has been serving New Mexico families as a geriatric psychiatrist for the past 20 years. He is board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and has earned an additional board certification in Geriatric Psychiatry. Dr. Peters is sought after by families throughout the Southwest for his experience and sensitivity in working with persons with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease as well as other mental health needs associated with the elderly. He will be available to any resident at The Retreat for advanced consultation and will work in conjunction with residents’ primary physicians. Dr. Peters has maintained a private practice in Albuquerque since 1998, but will also provide onsite appointments at The Retreat for those residents. He has demonstrated over the years his sincere interest and support of families living with dementia and is a highly valued asset to the medical community.