By Chanel Steptoe
When you walk into a long term care facility led by the right people, you feel it immediately.
You can see it in how professionals interact with others, the warmth in how residents are greeted, and the trust that families feel in their loved one’s home. I have had the privilege of helping create this environment over the past 19 years in the long term care field.
At my facility, we strive to set the blueprint for excellence in long term care. This is nothing less than what our residents and their families deserve.
As March and Careers in Aging Month wrap up, I’d like to shine a light on the incredible long term care professionals who make our work possible and successful.
We have found that excellent care is rooted in strengthening our centers with talented people and leading with a servant's heart.
It is deeply important to us that we have the systems in place that make sure everyone feels heard. That means bridging any communication gaps between staff, management, residents, and their families. Honest and open dialogue is treated as a cornerstone of quality care.
We have also found success by investing deeply in employee training and development, understanding that a supported and growing team is the foundation of resident-centered care. Investing in our care professionals goes far beyond Careers in Aging Month; for us, it is a daily exercise.
Many of our caregivers are called to this profession by a servant’s heart, and we provide specialized training to equip them with the tools to put that compassion into practice. That calling shapes our commitment to individualized care and heartfelt communication, helping us anticipate challenges and address them before they arise.
This is our blueprint to make sure residents feel heard, families feel confident, and staff feel supported. During my service as Administrator at Aviata at Kissimmee Gardens, we have achieved consecutive years with zero complaint surveys, a remarkable milestone that reflects an environment built on trust, communication, and accountability at every level.
It is a daily pleasure for me to do this work, and I am fortunate to have pursued educational routes before entering the long term care profession, earning my master's degree in healthcare administration and a bachelor's degree in social work with an emphasis on gerontology, along with certifications as a Certified Life Coach and Personal Connections Strategist. If you are interested, I highly recommend exploring both educational and professional avenues to get involved.
My facility is a member of the Florida Health Care Association (FHCA), which helps provide some of the practical resources and tools that allow us to set the gold standard in long term care, side-by-side with long term care facilities across the state. As members of FHCA, we are able to collaborate with facilities statewide, learn from each other’s new activities and best practices, and create pathways for more involvement in the long term care profession.
I love changing people’s lives for the better and offering them a trusted partner in care. My personal passion of advocacy and collaboration with and for residents, their families, my staff, provider partners, and visitors has led me to building a rewarding career.
If you share my passion, there is a space for you in the long term care profession. Visit www.fhca.org/ to learn more about professional paths in long term care.
Chanel Steptoe is the current Administrator at Aviata at Kissimmee Gardens.
