Edelweiss Village Amanda Condrin Follows Her Passion

While Amanda held three executive positions at two growing companies, she intuitively knew she wasn’t thriving in that environment. After looking for similar jobs, Amanda became discouraged, unsure about the direction of her career. But fate intervened and, in November 2021, Amanda accepted the Director of Activities position at Edelweiss Village Assisted Living, part of the Deutsches Altenheim campus in West Roxbury. She has never looked back.

Amanda realized she had always enjoyed helping people. She recalled that when her grandmother was a resident at Edelweiss Village Assisted Living, Amanda enjoyed volunteering to help assisted residents who had Alzheimer's and dementia. What she wanted –and ultimately found at Edelweiss Village – was work that impacted others. ”I wanted to feel as though my work was making a difference and improving someone else's life,” explained Amanda. “I never imagined that there was a place for me in eldercare given my business background. Initially I was intimidated because I thought my only "in" to working with this demographic was by going back to school to become a nurse or a CNA.” Added Condrin, “ In retrospect, I am so happy to be able to do this kind of work and use the skillsets I gained from my previous positions.”

Renato de Leon, Executive Director of Edelweiss Village, believes Amanda is a tremendous asset to the assisted living. ”Although Amanda’s professional expertise was not solely within the senior living sector,” explained Renato, “we recognized her potential value to our community and in fact, Amanda has been a wonderful addition to our team, helping to enrich the lives of our residents.”

Today, Amanda enjoys the full support –and sometimes envy –of her family and friends in terms of her current career. “I am lucky to be surrounded with such an encouraging and supportive network,” reflected Amada. “Moreover, I think they have also seen a huge lift in my mood and mental health at the end of the day.” For Amanda, her job is all about the people. As she noted, “Every day I see evidence that people really care for each other. The residents, staff and families have such wonderful relationships. It is like one big happy family!”

Getting to know the residents and their families is another key advantage. As Amanda explained, “I learn about their interests and hobbies, I hear stories about when they were growing up, and I get to plan creative activities tailored specifically to the residents. In return, they teach me so much about life!”

Growing up, Amanda’s dad was fond of telling her to “Find a job you love and it will never feel like work. Follow your passions and you will excel in what you are doing.” With her current job as Activities Director of Edelweiss Village, Amanda did exactly that. “The joy I feel at the end of each day is something I never thought I could find from work,” admitted Amanda. “I can honestly say I truly love my job.”

About Edelweiss Village and Deutsches Altenheim

Established in 1914, Deutsches Altenheim was originally designed to serve as a retirement residence for elderly German Americans. As Deutsches Altenheim expanded and flourished, the organization became a centerpiece in the Greater Boston community. Today the nonprofit, with a consistent 5-Star rating, continues to offer superior care in a trusting and experienced environment. Its campus in West Roxbury provides long-term care, short-term rehabilitation, memory care, assisted living, and adult day health services to residents and clients of all ethnic, national, and religious backgrounds.