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It’s always a tough decision when it comes time for a senior citizen to leave a home or residence for a senior living facility.

They are moving from what they know to the unknown and unfamiliar, but on the other side of that there are those who work within these facilities that are dedicated to making that transition seamless and as comfortable as possible.

Clinical managers Jackie Mjoen and Anna Longworth are two such people working at Sacred Heart Care Center in Austin.

Mjoen has been working for 15 years starting as an SMA and then transitioning to LPN and RN to the position she holds now.

“When I first was inspired to be a nurse, I had just had my son and I was like, ‘I want to do this,’” Mjoen said. “I want to help people.”

Mjoen began her journey working on the OB floor out of nursing school, but quickly determined she wanted to work elsewhere.

Knowing that her grandparents had both resided at Sacred Heart, it seemed like a good fit.

“It really is family. That’s what it is,” Mjoen said. “Love and family here. You get to know the residents and their families, coworkers — community.”

Longworth is another longtime employee of Sacred Heart, having worked at the facility for nine years and transitioning into her current role last July.

Longworth’s journey followed family.

“My dad was a nurse at a nursing home and I followed in his footsteps,” Longworth said. “He had some funny stories and it was good.”

Longworth said the move to her current position has been challenging, but Mjoen, working alongside her, has noted a change in Longworth that has been fun to watch.

“She has grown so much,” Mjoen said. “It has been an absolute joy to see her in her new role. She was working on the floor for years and it wasn’t until she got into this new role of managing an entire wing that you saw her blossom.”

A clinical manager’s job can and often does include a large amount of duties from assessments to writing care plans, care conferences, working closely with visiting doctors and nurse practitioners and working with tab techs.

“My job is very fluid,” Mjoen said. “Little pieces of everything.”

But while the job is difficult, both agreed that it’s just as rewarding and is a job worth pursuing. Longworth pointed out that residents took care of children when they were parents and it was now their turn for them to take care of the seniors.

Like Mjoen, it carries with it an inherent family component.

“It’s like they are a part of your family so you want the best for your family,” Longworth said.

It’s a job that both women are advocates for and agree that the reward over the years has been worth it. Alongside the reward has been the pride in the work being done that is taking care of the community’s senior citizens.

“We’re just a group of really hard working individuals,” Mjoen said. “If you’re in the nursing facility … we’re all equal. We can all complete resident care. We can all jump in as a team and help each other out.”

“It’s rewarding because you’re working hard,” Longworth said. “You get to see your results.”

That kind of caring takes on an important weight when it’s considered that this is the resident’s home. Employees like Mjoen and Longworth feel it’s a blessing to be able to work with the residents in their care.

“I just know for me, I’m certain I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be,” Mjoen said. “We are here and we are working hard to allow the residents to be as independent as possible for as long as they can. We want to make their time here as enjoyable as possible.”