In conversation with Victoria Durante, CALA, Admissions Director, The Longview Assisted Living Residence

I love being part of the Longview family. Longview has always been, and continues to be, warm and inviting.

I began working at Christian Health (CHCC) 18 years ago. After a few years, I started covering for the Longview Admissions Director when she was out of the office. I immediately fell in love with the residents, the environment, and the staff. As is common at CHCC, staff longevity is impressive, and the team works well together. When the opportunity to apply for the position arose, I knew that this was the next step in my career at CHCC.

My assistance doesn’t stop once a suite is reserved.

My role is not only to guide the family through the admissions process and coordinate move in, but also to attend every family meeting, and be a resource to residents and families. I can provide guidance prior to admission while they are still figuring out the next steps and after admission, especially if needs change.

Care extends beyond Longview into the community.

It is fulfilling to work with community members to help guide families through the process of choosing an assisted-living residence and making such an important decision.

Longview is unique among assisted-living residences.

We are part of a full continuum of senior-life, mental-health, and short-term rehab services and residences on our Wyckoff campus. CHCC’s mission and vision, combined with our annual education and training, allows us to focus on the whole person as we seek to guide seniors and their family through the process of selecting a CHCC residence or service that will best meet their needs.

We are committed to Person- and Family-centered Care.

We understand that in addition to their loved ones receiving excellent care, families want to be assured that they will receive caregiver support for their own mental and physical well-being. They are welcomed into an extended family and into a care partnership. It’s important to convey this to families who have the significant task of seeking the best residence to meet their loved ones needs in a vast sea of assisted-living options.

I’m confident that our residents and their families feel secure in choosing Longview.

I wish that they all continue to feel fulfilled and cared for. I hope that they always feel engaged and nourished physically, mentally, and spiritually.

Longview residents are inspiring.

I’m inspired by our residents every day, in so many ways. Making the decision to leave their home and join a community of people can be very emotional and overwhelming. Their understanding of their changing needs and the impact their care might have on their family members is usually the driving force behind choosing an assisted-living residence. Making this decision requires bravery and trust; this inspires me. Witnessing new residents settle into their new home and become engaged in activities, sharing meals with others, and building a new life that offers social wellness and security inspires me. Residents who form new friendships with other residents, as well as strong bonds with our nurses and aides who provide their care, gives me comfort in what life might look like for my parents as they age and their needs change.

Even during COVID-19, Longview is a warm, welcome home.

Throughout this pandemic, I take comfort in the dedication and perseverance of the Longview team and the amazing resilience of our residents. During the height of COVID-19, residents were moving in without the support and presence of their loved ones. Watching new residents on move-in day say goodbye to their loved ones at our entrance, and then turn and bravely enter their new home not knowing when they will physically see their loved one will never be forgotten. Greeting them while wearing PPE prevents them from seeing our smiles. We worry that they will not feel the warmth we want to convey, so it meant the world to me when I told a gentleman I was moving in that he probably couldn’t tell, but behind the mask and shield I was smiling because I was so happy to welcome him to his new home. He told me not to worry and that he didn’t need to see my smile because my eyes said it all.

There are so many memorable experiences at Longview that warm my heart, make me laugh, and even make me cry.

A new resident who had been living alone had struggled with loneliness and isolation. She moved to Longview on a very dark, windy, and rainy day. When I commented on the terrible weather, she gave a big smile and said it was the most beautiful day because she was moving into her new home at Longview. These heartwarming moments reinforce why we do what we do.