St. John’s consists of four senior living campuses in Rochester, New York. Each campus offers a variety of housing options for seniors, including independent and assisted living, rehabilitation, and long term care. St. John’s is the first nursing home in Rochester to become Eden Alternative certified, which means that management and staff are committed to person directed long term living. This model of care encourages connected relationships between care partners and elders to improve the quality of life for both.

In this interview, Rebecca Priest, the Administrator of Skilled Services at St. John’s Life Plan Community, discusses the organization’s adoption of the Eden Alternative care model and their recent addition of a campus that consists of two Green House residences. She also describes the conversion of each floor of the existing long term living building into small homes.

St. John’s is an example of how spatial planning can allow senior residents to live independently or with assistance, and still feel part of a community. St. John’s sets a good example for other communities that are reorganizing or planning housing options for elderly.