Ms. Vivian Gonzales is a 74-year-old homeowner in RTH Community Revitalization Neighborhood, the East End. She lives in a 1946 two-story house with the only bathroom on the second floor.

Ms. Gonzales moved in with her mother and stepfather when she was 24 to be a full-time caregiver. Her mother was diagnosed with cancer and died in her early 70’s. The house passed to her when her three sisters agreed that she should be the sole owner of the family home because of her many years of caregiving.

Ms. Gonzales has walked with a cane for many years as she suffers from severe arthritis. During the time RTH contractors were completing structural repairs, Ms. Gonzales was scheduled for knee surgery. She had great concern about how she would be able to access her bathroom and bedroom post-surgery as she was already struggling with the stairs.

The work on Ms. Gonzalez’s home represents the most substantial transformation in the two-year partnership between Houston Methodist and RTH. The key element allowing access to the second floor is a chair lift. We also removed her tub and installed a low curb shower. We built a ramp at the back door, allowing her to step out for her morning cup of coffee. To address her COPD, the plug and play air purifier we provided has delivered an immediate improvement in her breathing. Ms. Gonzalez says she is extremely blessed to receive these home modifications and looks forward to living many more years in her home. She confided to staff that she expects to pass the home on to the next generation of her family. Although she has no children, she is planning for her nieces and nephews to take over in the future.