Tag Archive for: woodlands at jkv

JKV in the News: Combatting Perceptions of Senior Living

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Blog headline photo with text overlay "How HRA, John Knox Village, Beztak Combat Perceptions of Senior Living as Nursing Homes

 

“Having the amenities, having a Green House Model®…. it just reinforces that we’re not ‘grandma’s nursing home’ anymore.” — Kim Ali, John Knox Village VP of Sales & Marketing

 

For all that senior living operators have done to change the perception of the industry, many prospects still conflate independent living and assisted living with nursing homes.

That immediate reaction can have an impact on sales efforts.  Operators and their marketing teams then have to make an effort to showcase what the industry is actually like today and how it has changed since a prospect may have moved their own family members into a community.

Part of that reaction is fear-based, according to Ginger Atwood, national director of marketing and sales at Harbor Retirement Associates.  Losing independence, becoming isolated and being unable to afford to live in a senior living community are all worries on the minds of older adults and their families.

“They’re perceiving it as a crisis-driven situation to begin with, rather than a lifestyle choice,” Atwood told Senior Housing News.  “The challenge is as people wait longer and longer to make the decision to move into senior living, it can become a crisis situation.”

While education efforts with marketing materials is still the primary tool used to shift that perception, operators are also deploying campaigns to help better inform decision making adult children.  The process of showcasing the differences is easier than in previous years, and in some instances is less of a problem for marketing teams, such as the team at continuing care retirement community John Knox Village in Pompano Beach.

“They’re more fixated on the type of living arrangement they’re going to choose versus exactly what they’re going to get, which is that continuum of care for their healthcare,” Kim Ali, Vice President of Sales and Marketing said.  “Less than probably 3% of prospects that walk in the door even wants us to tour them in higher care, which is a little shocking because that’s exactly what they’re buying.”

John Knox Village, Pompano Beach, one of the largest single-site senior living campuses in the country, is dealing with fewer prospects associating the community with being akin to a nursing home, but the worry is still there.  Instead, it utilizes a community-driven newspaper to highlight what happens around the community with articles written by current residents, according to Ali.

While residents fear a loss of independence and losing parts of their lives, Ali said John Knox Village, Pompano Beach puts particular emphasis on its Green House Model® offerings, which allow higher acuity residents to still maintain a sense of privacy and security as they age in place.  What the sales and marketing team at the CCRC focus on for those residents is letting them know that they still will have full access to everything the community has to offer so they are not siloed or isolated.

“Having amenities, having a Green House Model®…. it just reinforces that we’re not ‘grandma’s nursing home’ anymore,” Ali said.

Read the full story.

 

John Knox Village (JKV)
For almost 60 years, JKV has set the bar when it comes to delivering an all-inclusive resort lifestyle designed for living life to the fullest at each stage of retirement. JKV emphasizes fitness and overall well-being with world-class programming, state-of-the-art amenities, healthy and delicious dining, and much more. Residents are entitled to unlimited use of healthcare services and 24/7 healthcare professionals on campus. There are no time or financial limits on the long-term care benefits that residents receive, regardless of the level of care required. Simply put, a life plan agreement at JKV provides a fiscal safety net with an unparalleled community geared to a wide range of needs, whatever the road ahead brings.

Want to learn more about what John Knox Village has to offer? Contact us today to take a tour or for a no-pressure conversation with one of our Life Plan Consultants.

 

Celebrating 10 Years of The Green House Model at The Woodlands — and the Residents Who Made It Possible

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Resident Marilyn Blessing speaks to crowd in auditorium

Marilyn Blessing shares her story as one of the JKV residents who were instrumental in bringing the Green House Model® to The Woodlands

 

“I vividly remember being at John Knox Village for the grand opening of The Woodlands ten years ago—the energy and excitement, and the clear sense that something truly meaningful had been created. What made it so powerful then, and remains so today, is that it was a resident-driven vision brought to life. A decade later, JKV stands as a compelling example of what’s possible when community is shaped by dignity, connection, and belonging.” — Susan Frazier Ryan, CEO, The Green House Model®

 

Green House Project logo

 

This summer, John Knox Village (JKV) celebrates the 10th anniversary of bringing The Green House Model® of care to its campus—a milestone made possible by the vision and determination of its own residents. Founded in 2003 by Dr. Bill Thomas, The Green House Model® is a nonprofit, internationally recognized approach to eldercare that replaces traditional nursing homes with residential-style homes featuring private bedrooms and bathrooms centered around a shared living room and hearth, open kitchen, and dining area. John Knox Village in Pompano Beach became the first senior living community in Florida to adopt the innovative model after a coalition of independent living residents championed its implementation at The Woodlands.

Today, The Woodlands features twelve Green House homes—two on each of its six floors dedicated to skilled nursing, in addition to dedicated floors for rehab, for both residents and non-residents.  In total, 144 private rooms are designed to foster meaningful relationships, dignity, and a true sense of home.

To commemorate the anniversary, JKV President and CEO Melissa B. Honig recently hosted a special celebration honoring the residents whose leadership and perseverance helped bring The Green House Model® to John Knox Village. The event also introduced newer residents to this important chapter in the community’s history, with several of the original resident advocates sharing firsthand stories about the years-long effort that transformed long-term care at JKV.

Honig, who was appointed President and CEO in October 2025, has a longstanding connection to John Knox Village and a deep appreciation for its resident-centered philosophy.

“My first relationship with JKV was in 2011 during my work with The Green House Project, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation initiative,” said Honig. “I have long been inspired by JKV’s commitment to forward-thinking senior living solutions. JKV continues to demonstrate an unwavering commitment to creating a person-directed care environment that enriches the lives of both residents and team members.”

Susan Frazier Ryan, The Green House Model® CEO, says, “I vividly remember being at John Knox Village for the grand opening of The Woodlands ten years ago—the energy and excitement, and the clear sense that something truly meaningful had been created. What made it so powerful then, and remains so today, is that it was a resident-driven vision brought to life. A decade later, JKV stands as a compelling example of what’s possible when community is shaped by dignity, connection, and belonging.”

Unlike traditional nursing homes, The Green House Model® centers on three guiding principles: meaningful lives, real homes, and empowered staff. Residents enjoy freshly prepared meals, flexible daily routines, and caregivers known as Shahbazim — a Persian term meaning “royal falcon”, used in modern eldercare to describe versatile direct-care workers who protect and nurture seniors.  Shahbazim build close, personal relationships with the people they support by understanding each resident as an individual. Supported by clinical teams, Guides, and volunteer Sages, this collaborative approach has been shown to strengthen family involvement, improve quality of life, increase resident independence, and boost staff satisfaction and retention.

Looking ahead, Honig plans to build upon that foundation through a multi-year cultural and operational partnership with The Green House Project® (now AgingIN). The initiative will strengthen staff education, expand internal training, and reinforce the person-directed philosophy that has distinguished John Knox Village for the past decade. Honig adds, “The Green House Model is about growing people, and we’re honored to fulfill that decade-long commitment into the future.”

 

John Knox Village (JKV)
For almost 60 years, JKV has set the bar when it comes to delivering an all-inclusive resort lifestyle designed for living life to the fullest at each stage of retirement. JKV emphasizes fitness and overall well-being with world-class programming, state-of-the-art amenities, healthy and delicious dining, and much more. Residents are entitled to unlimited use of healthcare services and 24/7 healthcare professionals on campus. There are no time or financial limits on the long-term care benefits that residents receive, regardless of the level of care required. Simply put, a life plan agreement at JKV provides a fiscal safety net with an unparalleled community geared to a wide range of needs, whatever the road ahead brings.

Want to learn more about what John Knox Village has to offer? Contact us today to take a tour or for a no-pressure conversation with one of our Life Plan Consultants.