Why dont we get respect as LTC nurses?

Hi everyone,
I am hoping for some input to a questions that has been really burning my butt. I am a new nurse, and recently switched from med-surg at a local hospital (loved the job, hated the 12 hour shifts and the 45 minute commute), to a nursing home in my home town. I have spoken to numerous people about my new job, which I have, by the way, found to be very different but no less challenging than the work I was doing before. I am learning every day, and I truly do enjoy the job. I made the choice to change focus due to the fact that I have small children, 5 and 8, and the opportunity I had was a 7-3 shift, mon-thur. The money was less, but the savings in travel and not having to pay daycare made up for that.
Soooo, My big problem is, why is it that it truly seems that so very many nurses seem to look down their noses at long term care and geriatric nursing? I have even had one of my fellow graduates, (we both graduated May, passed the boards in June) actually say "I'm so sorry."
I couldnt believe my ears. And after I picked my jaw up off the floor, all the things I could/should have said came to me. Of course.
Has anyone else had this experience, or is it just me? And if you have, how do you deal with it? It is bad enough we undervalue and dont respect our elders, but now, I feel as if I have lost respect in the nursing community, (I am generalizing, I know, and I DO know that not every nurse feels this way, please dont feel that I think all nurses feel this way, cuz I do not).
I have been reading the nursing posts from so many of you on this specialty, and I can see that people who have worked in LTC understand. So sorry, I just needed to vent and get some understanding and hopefully advice from some of you more seasoned LTC geriatric nurses. During my med surg experience I felt more like a waitress than a nurse, it was kind of like 'turn em and burn em', without any time to connect with any patients, you were scrambling so hard just to meet their basic needs. I also realize that as a new nurse, I would have gotten better at the scrambling part, but still, after just two weeks at my new position, I already know almost all my 24 residents names, many of their likes and dislikes and have already been able to forge connections. So back to my question, how do you deal with it when you feel like other specialties look down on us?
I have also had ER nurses from the local hospital be VERY condesending to me when calling. Just twice, same nurse both times. And in case you are wondering, I am pretty thick skinned, I dont get my panties in a bunch over any little comment.
Any input would be sooo appreciated.
Thanks,
KristyBRNfortruenow