More space, fun and these amenities: Here is what’s new at this retirement community

Lee’s Summit’s largest retirement community is continuing to redevelop its existing homes and apartments while adding amenities to meet the changing trends in senior living. John Knox Village opened in the 1970s and currently includes close to 1,200 residents in its independent living housing, assisted living and skilled nursing facilities.

“The biggest trend we are seeing is that today’s seniors are looking for bigger homes with open floor plans,” said Eric Scott, director of operations and development at John Knox Village. “For most of our product lines, the biggest units are the first to go to contract. We also are seeing a large demand for screened-in porches, three-season rooms and sunrooms. Big kitchens and in-home laundry facilities, and bigger, customized storage in kitchens and closets, also is a change from the senior living arrangements of yesteryear.”

The types of amenities being requested by older adults are also changing, said Maria Timberlake, vice president of senior living at the Village.

“Communities are adding activities that keep people physically active such as pickleball courts, fitness centers, indoor and outdoor aquatic centers, dog parks, outdoor walking spaces and such,” she added. “Residents also want flexible dining programs with a restaurant feel. They don’t want to be tied to a set dining hour and they want to choose from more than two or three entrée offerings. They want the restaurant experience.”

The Village is seeing a younger demographic among its newer residents, Scott said. “The lifestyle is definitely tilted toward ‘country club.’ Today’s seniors are looking for a welcoming community with social opportunities. John Knox Village offers multiple ways for residents to get involved with volunteering, committees and social functions.”

One of the Village’s new housing complexes, a 52-unit apartment building, will open in December. This apartment building is an additional phase of the Meadows development, which totals 214,091 square feet and now includes three new apartment buildings providing 107 units. The Meadows features two dine-in restaurants, a fitness center, natatorium, activity rooms and a community center. The newest phase has four stories, sitting on top of a parking garage with electric charging stations for each vehicle stall.

Since 2015, the Village has added 208 new apartment homes in four new buildings. John Knox Village is in its eighth year of its annual Villa Program.

“Since 2014 we have demolished nearly 100 cottages, duplexes and triplexes, and replaced them with 52 new villas,” Scott said. “On average, the new villas are about 50% larger than the units they replaced.”

These newer residences have open floor plans and high ceilings, he added, and many of the new villa homes include unfinished basements for storage. These villas and new apartments are replacing older, less marketable units.

Despite the changing demographics, some expectations have remained the same among seniors. “They want the safety and security that comes with living at the Village, as well as the opportunity to have a plan for the future with our various healthcare services,” Timberlake said.

One of the Village’s newer residents, J. Tom Lovell, moved to the retirement community with his wife.

“We are at a point where we no longer need a large house or want to mow the grass or shovel the snow,” he said.

“There’s the progressive care that’s offered and the opportunity to age in place. We know that’s something we want.”