Sometimes moving to an assisted living community can feel overwhelming and intimidating. It can mean going through decades of household items and bidding goodbye to loved ones.
However, it can also be the beginning of a remarkable new journey with new opportunities and adventures waiting every day. It can also help senior citizens prevent social isolation, have 24/7 professional and compassionate care, and ultimately gain peace of mind.
Kisco Senior Living provides a beneficial and diverse assisted setting, focusing on the dynamic interplay of relationships across all ages, cultures, backgrounds, spiritual beliefs, and abilities.
Working on these areas and making a strong portfolio, Andy Kohlberg, Founder, President, and CEO of Kisco Senior Living, has directed a superb management team. His primary responsibilities are strategic planning and capital allocation. Additionally, his team looks after human resources, care services, dining and risk management.
Unlocking the Three-Decade Journey
For over 30 years, Kisco has specialized in developing and managing full-service senior living communities that provide an enriched lifestyle. Its unique philosophy and approach for safety and security, trust and transparency, and five-star service delivery has always been the company’s top priorities.
The ‘K’ in Kisco’s logo was derived from the Chinese symbol for longevity and symbolizes a balanced, ageless person journeying through life to enter their next chapter. Branching out from this symbol, Kisco’s vision emphasizes the importance of creating communities with shared passions and, balanced lives while building legacies.
This vision sets the foundation for its principles, values and beliefs that distinguish Kisco from its competition. The entire team is committed to achieving exemplary service with integrity, dignity and compassion. It strives to enhance each resident’s lifestyle through creatively designed programs.
Kisco Senior Living’s standard of conduct holds its management team and associates to a higher level by focusing on honesty, accountability, personal development and a passion for excellence. Because of this foundation, Kisco has become a leader in senior living with 22 communities across the country.
Passionate and Dynamic Leadership
Andy Kohlberg has assembled an expert management team that has taken Kisco to the next level. After attending the University of Tennessee, Kohlberg continued his advanced studies at the University of California San Diego, focusing on real estate economics and feasibility analysis, commercial real estate development, fundamentals of construction and legal aspects of real estate investment.
Before founding Kisco, Kohlberg pursued a successful professional tennis career and competed in the semi-finals of Wimbledon and the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open. He was also the NCAA Collegiate Player of the Year, and represented the U.S. on the Junior Davis Cup, Sunshine Cup Teams, as well as the Pan American Games, in which he won a gold medal.
For many years, he has been a member of the American Senior Housing Association (ASHA), California Assisted Living Association (CALA), and the San Diego Chapter of Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO), which shaped him into an experienced leader he is now.
The Seniors Housing Council awarded Andy- The SAGE Person of the Year Award in 2002. He received the Icon Award in the Service Enriched Builder/Developer category from the National Association of Home Builders.
Andy Kohlberg has built a robust and successful portfolio of Kisco senior living communities across the country. He has crafted a unique experience for residents that is rooted in the personal touch, which he demonstrates himself by conducting his focus groups with residents to listen to their feedback.
Kisco continues to lead the charge in setting the standard for delivering five-star hospitality, so that it can continue the quest for setting the standard of care in the industry.
Assistance Offered to Improve the Care Model
Kisco Senior Living has a unique service model based upon two pillars of excellence: Kisco Confidence and The Art of Living Well putting their residents at the heart of everything Kisco does.
Kisco Confidence is a mindset that ensures safety and security, health and well-being, and five-star hospitality for residents and their families and the compassionate associates that care for them. Every Kisco community provides a unique lifestyle experience that promotes the health and wellbeing of residents.
Kisco Confidence is based on the fundamental principle that puts residents first while empowering associates to deliver a five-star experience every day. The 60-day guarantee setting ensures that residents will love the Kisco Confidence lifestyle demonstrating confidence in the company’s ability to carry out this mission fully.
In tune with Kisco’s distinctive brand of five-star hospitality, The Art of Living Well program emphasizes the uniqueness of each resident and customizes a health and wellbeing program for their specific needs. Focusing on “whole person wellness” addresses their emotional, spiritual, and mental well-being.
The company’s associates exemplify the Kisco Confidence philosophy and the Art of Living Well program to serve as the foundation of Kisco’s service delivery in each of its communities. Kisco continually shares the best practices so that it can bring innovation to the ongoing operations and future communities.
Kisco is an enduring, sustainable company that provides opportunities and services to meet the changing needs of its customers and their families.
The Pandemic Diaries
The onset of the pandemic was a true test of the Kisco Confidence mission. When COVID-19 spread across the country, the fear factor of the unknown motivated the company to act quickly. It followed best-in-class safety protocols and continued to set the standard for keeping its residents and associates safe and sound.
Kisco already had in place innovative service partnerships to improve quality for hospitality and healthcare standards to advance the wellness mission. It implemented daily discussions between the management team to continue the flow of ideas and communication about best practices, safety protocols and ever-changing rules of engagement.
Early on, the company knew that trust was key, and transparency was paramount. It was very clear for them to keep its residents and their families informed to mitigate the fear perpetuated by the media. The safety and security of the residents and their associates came first. For the company, every associate was considered to be “essential” and on the front line of defence. The company’s dedication to being fully transparent and honest in its communications set the stage from the very beginning.
The pandemic also inspired a new wave of creativity in the company’s associates. Because of the limitations implemented to protect their residents, the associates created innovative ways to utilize technology to connect family members with their loved ones from a distance. To keep residents active, engaged, and thriving, it also experimented with socially distanced, but fun events.
As an illustration, the associates at The Cardinal at North Hills in Raleigh, North Carolina, celebrated the Kentucky Derby by dressing up as horses and partaking in their race. At the same time, residents stood on their balconies and enthusiastically placed their bets on who would win. This creative thinking is a real testament to the talented associates the company hires and how crucial they are to the fabric of Kisco Senior Living.
Aligning technological Advancements to Care
Technology has always been an important part of the service delivery of the company. At the onset of the pandemic, the company was already prepared with technology to keep its residents and their families connected.
Through resources like the connected TV system, communities were able to communicate updates to their residents quickly. The company was able to connect to its residents and their families through various means of Facetime, Zoom, and Skype with the infrastructure it already had in place for the safety and security of its residents in various communities.
Beyond the pandemic, the presence of technology allows Kisco to maintain a more modern atmosphere that helps their setting stay at the forefront of security, communication, and connection. The company continues to implement innovative technology partnerships for these reasons – from smart electronics to healthcare monitoring devices. It is also putting in charging stations for electric vehicles in their communities.
Their associates continue to find ways to engage with the residents and expand their knowledge and comfort level with technology by teaching them through seminars, oneon-one training, and consulting to improve their skillset. The pandemic may have jumpstarted the adoption rate of technology for its senior residents, but now they see more, and more of them use it as part of their daily routines. It will continue to expand in the areas of entertainment and healthcare as well, with VR and AI becoming more and more accessible and less cumbersome to implement. The company will also continue to adopt best-in-class hospitality and healthcare innovations to support and advance its wellness mission.
A Word of Appreciation
Attested is the experiences of happy residents of Kisco:
Heather Liddle, resident of Kisco La Posada in Palm Beach Gardens, FL:
“I was 75 when I came, and I would say that everything was better than I could possibly have realized. In fact, when we were looking for somewhere to choose to come and live, we weren’t in any hurry to move, but when we came to La Posada, we didn’t look anywhere else. It was just the feeling we had as soon as we walked in. We just knew we were home. And now that we are here, we are confident that La Posada will always take care of us, no matter what we need.”
Leslie and Betty Harrison, residents of The Cardinal North Hills in Raleigh, NC:
“The people around here are just the greatest asset of The Cardinal. They are all so friendly. They greet you; they ask about you, they care about you. You’re not just a resident; you become family. The community of residents and associates just make it the perfect place to be. You never have to worry about anything.”
Donna and Diana Gardner, adult children of a resident at Woodbridge Terrace in Irvine, CA:
“Mom wasn’t really social before she arrived at Woodbridge, now she’s surrounded by people who care about her, and she even has a new best friend. The peace of mind knowing that she is well cared for is one thing but seeing her brighten up and enjoy life now is priceless.”
Conferring AWARDS
- Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Training
- 2022 Best of Senior Living, Senior Advisor – A Place for Mom
- 2021 Best of Assisted Living – Senior Advisor — (Seven Kisco properties received this.)
- 2019 NRC Health Employee Approved Award
- 2019 NRC Health Customer Approved Award
- ICAA 100 (International Council of Aging) — (Recognized Kisco Senior Living as an ICAA 100 member and industry leader committed to the Active – Aging Wellness Philosophy)
- 2011 ASHA 50 Largest U.S. Seniors Housing Owners
- 2006 ASHA 50 Largest U.S. Seniors Housing Owners
- 2006 VOG Design Excellence
- 2005 ASHA 50 Largest U.S. Seniors Housing Owners
- 2005 ICAA Industry Innovator
- 2004 California Awards for Performance Excellence Eureka Award
- 2003 SHRM Workforce Excellence Award
- 2003 NAHB Sr. Housing Council Service Enriched Builder / Developer
- 2002 SAGE Award – Senior Achievement & General Excellence
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