TROY — Troy Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center honored its administrator, Marie Wildenhaus, for her leadership during National Long-Term Care Administrator’s Week.
Often cited as the greatest challenge of their careers to date, the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic has required administrators of the nation’s skilled nursing facilities to marshal significant resources together, collaborate, and protect their residents from the virus. Wildenhaus is leading Troy Rehab through the battle with coronavirus, helping to guard against outbreaks, comforting residents, and maintaining a caring community within the facility.
“One of the most challenging aspects of the pandemic was not being able to have the same human interaction we all need and crave so much. Social distancing for residents, families, and caregivers has changed our world so much. It’s heart breaking in many ways, but rewarding to know that we have been working through all of these challenges for a year now. The resilience of our staff, residents, and families is heartwarming and we will continue to work hard every day to protect each other until this pandemic is over,” said Wildenhaus.
Wildenhaus first became a skilled nursing facility administrator in 2013.
“I was inspired to become a nursing home administrator after being raised by my grandparents around service duty (military, nurses, teachers) family members. My first aspiration was to become a nurse, but along the way I switched gears to pursing my LNHA. My passion is to help others to feel better, do better, and smile more. We are all humans taking care of humans. I couldn’t imagine working anywhere else than with our LTC residents and post-acute patients,” Wildenhaus said.
As a key player in the Troy Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center care team, Wildenhaus is entrusted with the responsibility of managing the care of the community’s loved ones. She touches the lives of residents and families, and ensures that the staff provides the highest level of quality care.
“I’m passionate about caring for the seniors in our community,” Wildenhaus said. “Our staff knows many of our residents who have lived in our area for years and that provides everyone with a strong sense of comfort, which helps make our care very effective.”
To become a skilled nursing facility administrator, it takes commitment and dedication. Upon becoming administrators, these healthcare professionals must continue life-long learning to stay on the cutting edge of top-level care. Administrators are masters of multi-tasking, taking into account every aspect of a person’s life, not just their medical needs, while building a sense of home and community.
“There isn’t a day that goes by that I am not honored to work as an administrator. It’s truly a rewarding career and full of joy and happiness intertwined with some trials and tribulations. Seeing people succeed, meet their goals, and being able to be part of a great team who dedicate themselves to care for others is an extremely satisfying experience,” Wildenhaus said.
