Lena G. Ernst, Ph.D.

The Retreat is modeled after other successful facilities previously owned and operated by Lena Ernst, Ph.D. Over the years, Dr. Ernst 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 Retreat Healthcare, Lena brings her extensive expertise and 30 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 has provided education to other professionals in the area of family ecology, dementia care, gerontology and family & marriage issues as an invited instructor for Webster University’s graduate program in Gerontology , the University of New Mexico in the department of Individual, Family & Community Education and at numerous national and international seminars and conferences. Dr. Ernst 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 academic community both in the United States and abroad.

Robert Metz

Mr. Metz has over 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 joined Dr. Lena Ernst in 2009 and together they began their work as a team dedicated to developing innovative care programs in facilities, home care, hospice programs and physician practices. In 2011, Mr. Metz was instrumental in developing a physician’s practice that became part of Retreat Healthcare to better serve the seniors within the Retreat Healthcare system. Mr. Metz continues to serve others by serving as the Chief Financial Officer and Business Development Officer for Retreat Healthcare.