More Than Her Title: Lourdes Toro goes above and beyond the task at hand to make sure her residents are taken care of

The moment Brethren Village was asked to nominate someone for the Licensed Caregiver of the Year Distinguished Service Award, presented annually by LeadingAge PA, they knew the choice was easy.

Lourdes Toro is a very caring individual who is always putting her residents and her team first, and her selflessness is just one of the many things that sets her above the rest. She is an extremely skilled nurse who has a keen ability to know the needs of every single one of her residents, and she is always putting the good of said residents above everything else.

“Lourdes is an extraordinary nurse who is passionate about providing the optimal care available for each and every one of her residents,” long-time resident family member Deborah Davis said. “She is extremely dedicated and willingly does whatever she can to ensure that each one receives the necessary medical and physical care, as well as emotional and spiritual support. Lourdes truly desires the absolute best for her residents so that they may enjoy the highest quality of life while entrusted to her care.”

For her residents and coworkers alike, Toro is always doing many things to lift them up.

She works hard and has a gift of helping others and dedication to elder care.

Toro is also always willing to take on any task thrown at her, no matter how daunting it may seem.

“Numerous times over the years, I have seen Lourdes expertly handle challenging situations in a calm and loving manner,” Davis said.

Toro’s title may be Licensed Practical Nurse, but she is so much more than that. She always willing to exceed all expectations at her job, and she has set the bar high for any and all nurses that follow in her footsteps.

“Lourdes has been going above and beyond during this time,” fellow team member Emily Daily said. “She always shows a positive attitude and teamwork, and she is certainly always putting residents first. She has stepped up to be a star employee.”

Toro is a great charge nurse who pushes her coworkers and team members to be the best versions of themselves every time they clock in for work, and she helps make the environment at Brethren Village feel less like a work environment and more like family.Her true compassion that she has in her personal life is clear, as she is truly genuine with her residents. Everything she does for and says to her residents she means, and everyone who knows Toro knows her heart is huge.

“Lourdes is the epitome of what an excellent nurse should be: always kind, patient, compassionate, professional, reliable, hardworking and respected by her peers,” fellow team member Barbara Landis said. “She is a leader of her team and always looks for better ways to serve the residents and help her staff.”

Landis then went on to say that Toro is always willing to step in wherever she is needed, and she is both optimistic and a calming presence.

Toro is a genuinely positive person who is always willing to help out in any situation, and she is devoted. As soon as she clocks in for the day, her residents are her number one priority. She always puts them first, and this is something that everyone around Toro notices.

“Lourdes invests so much of herself into the care and well-being of her residents and genuinely loves them all like family,” Davis said. “Not only does she excel in her nursing responsibilities, but delights in getting to know each of her residents as a unique individual.”

Toro’s treatment of her residents clearly makes a huge impact too, as there is no shortage of testimonials from past and present residents and their family members talking about Toro.

“In talking to a family member recently, Lourdes was referred to as an ‘angel,’” Assistant Director of Nursing Alexandra Hallman said. “I could not agree more! Her kindness and compassion are so evident every single day. She makes my job 100 percent easier because I would trust her with my family any day.”

In another account from Davis from when her mother was a resident, she said, “Early one morning as Lourdes was walking by Mom’s open door on the way to the nurse’s station to begin the first shift, she paused because she thought she heard a stirring around as if Mom was awake. So, she said, ‘I love you, Muriel.’ Then she heard Mom reply, ‘I love you too.’”

“I visited Gloria almost every day over the four-plus years she has been at the Brethren Village,” Benjamin Hertzler said regarding his wife. “I have seen the loving care Lourdes gives to the residents. If I have a question about anything, she is quick to respond. I remember when Lourdes was on vacation and when she returned, I asked her about her vacation. She said it was good and then the very next thing she wanted to know was how Gloria was and that she missed her residents.”

These, among numerous other accounts, show why Toro is the winner of the Licensed Caregiver of the Year Award. Her coworkers, residents and families have nothing but great things to say about her, and they love her like family.

Toro is making a difference within the Brethren Village community, and there is no question that she is deserving of this award. So many people can learn from her and the role model that she is. Her fellow team members will continue to speak highly of her.

When asked about Toro, everyone she works with speaks to how much better she has made their experiences as well, and that they could not imagine what their jobs would look like without Toro working alongside them.

Talk about a loved and highly respected award winner!

“I always had a calling to help people and wanted to be a nurse, but with life, it took a different route,” Toro said. “I became a social worker and had the pleasure to serve middle and high school students, provided resources for young mothers and worked as a mental health care worker. In 2002, I was blessed to work as an assisted living aide with the elderly population at Brethren Village, where I fell in love with them. My calling then sent me back to school, to become an LPN.”

The rest, as they say, is history. Congratulations on the award, Lourdes!