Kisco Senior Living

Three Brands, One Family-Led Standard of Senior Living Since 1990

Kisco Senior Living is a privately held, family-owned senior living operator headquartered in Carlsbad, California, developing and managing communities across California, Colorado, the District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Utah, and Virginia. Founded by Andy Kohlberg in 1990, the company has grown into a national portfolio organized under three distinct brands: Signature, Lifestyle, and Balfour. Kisco offers independent living, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing, continuing care and life plan communities, respite care, adult day services, and affordable senior housing, with the specific mix of services varying by location. The company describes its guiding philosophy as Kisco Confidence, centered on making its communities the safest possible place for residents to live and associates to work.

Visit the official Kisco Senior Living website to learn more about the company and its communities.

Company at a Glance

●       Headquarters: Carlsbad, California

●       Founded: 1990, by Andy Kohlberg; more than 35 years of experience

●       Current leadership: Andy Kohlberg, Founder, President and CEO

●       Portfolio size: Approximately 30 communities

●       States served: California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Utah, and Virginia

●       Care and lifestyle options: Independent living, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing/long-term care, continuing care/life plan communities, respite care, adult day services, and low income/affordable housing

●       Official website: kiscoseniorliving.com

Senior Living and Care Options

Kisco's portfolio spans a broad continuum of care, though the specific mix of services differs by community and by brand. Options may include:

●       Independent living

●       Assisted living

●       Memory care

●       Skilled nursing and long-term care

●       Continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) and life plan communities

●       Respite care

●       Adult day services

●       Low income / affordable senior housing

Kisco's three brands generally correspond to different service levels and price points. Signature communities, the company's newest and most upscale tier, tend to emphasize independent living alongside assisted living and memory care. Balfour communities more often concentrate on assisted living and memory care. Lifestyle communities, the largest group by number, typically combine independent living with assisted living and, in many cases, memory care. Not every community offers every service, and some, such as La Posada in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, and The Cardinal at North Hills in Raleigh, North Carolina, operate as full CCRC campuses that add skilled nursing and rehabilitation. Families should confirm current care levels and availability directly on the Senior Care Finder listing for the specific community they are considering.

What Makes Kisco Senior Living Different?

A Family-Owned Company Still Led by Its Founder

Kisco remains a privately held, family-owned company, and Andy Kohlberg, who personally purchased the company's first community in 1990, still leads it today as President and CEO. The company describes this structure as enabling faster decisions and a more personal approach than some larger, institutionally owned competitors.

Three Purpose-Built Brands Rather Than One-Size-Fits-All Communities

Rather than operating under a single uniform brand, Kisco organizes its portfolio into three tiers, Signature, Lifestyle, and Balfour, each built around a different combination of hospitality level, price point, and care focus. The company positions this structure as a way to match a wider range of budgets and lifestyle preferences than a single brand typically could.

Kisco Confidence, a Company-Wide Safety Philosophy

Kisco frames its approach to resident and associate safety under the name Kisco Confidence, describing proactive protocols and service partnerships intended to build trust among residents, families, and associates. The company presents this as a differentiator from competitors that treat safety primarily as a compliance requirement rather than a stated brand promise.

A Long, Documented History of Industry Recognition

Kisco communities have collected awards and rankings dating back to the late 1990s, including repeated U.S. News & World Report Best Senior Living recognition, National Association of Home Builders 55+ Housing awards, and NRC Health resident and associate satisfaction awards. This sustained recognition, spanning multiple award categories and decades, differentiates Kisco from operators with a shorter or less consistently documented track record.

An Active Hospitality Partnership with Forbes Travel Guide

At least one Kisco community, La Posada in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, maintains an ongoing hospitality training partnership with Forbes Travel Guide, a globally recognized hospitality rating and standards organization. Kisco describes this relationship as a way to bring hotel-caliber service training into its senior living communities, particularly within the Signature brand.

Continued Growth Through Both Acquisition and Ground-Up Development

Kisco has grown its portfolio through a mix of acquiring existing communities, such as its 2013 acquisition of La Posada, and developing new communities from the ground up, including the 2022 launch of its Signature brand with Crestavilla. The company has active projects underway in multiple markets, including a newly announced community in the Summerlin area of Las Vegas and an ongoing renovation of Porters Neck Village in Wilmington, North Carolina, both described further below.

Signature Programs and Services

Kisco's primary wellness and hospitality program across its portfolio is called Art of Living Well, described by the company as its approach to engaging residents physically, socially, and mentally through structured programming rather than a basic activities calendar. Availability and the specific programming offered under this name may vary by community.

The company's Kisco Confidence philosophy, described above as a differentiator, also functions as an operational program, encompassing the protocols and service partnerships Kisco says it uses to support resident and associate safety across its communities.

Life at a Kisco Senior Living Community

Life at a Kisco community may include chef-prepared dining across multiple venues, wellness and fitness programming, housekeeping, transportation, and scheduled social and cultural activities, with the specific amenity mix varying significantly by brand and location. Signature communities generally emphasize higher-end finishes, expanded dining options, and hospitality-style services such as concierge support, while Lifestyle and Balfour communities tend to offer a more traditional senior living amenity set focused on daily support and community connection.

Families evaluating any Kisco community, or any senior living community, should ask specifically about staffing ratios, the availability of on-site nursing or medical support, activity calendars, and how care needs are reassessed and communicated to families over time, since these details vary even within a single company's portfolio.

What Residents and Families Say

Kisco does not publish a single portfolio-wide review rating, and Senior Care Finder's own listings show ratings that vary by individual community, generally in the high 4-star range among many of its Premium listings. In U.S. News & World Report's 2025 Best Senior Living survey, the Kisco communities evaluated were recognized based on resident and family satisfaction with categories including caregiving, food and dining, management, and staff support. Recurring themes in publicly available feedback include staff warmth and responsiveness, a strong sense of community among residents, and satisfaction with dining and activities, though experience can vary by community, leadership team, and time period. Families are encouraged to review recent feedback for the specific Kisco community they are considering rather than relying on portfolio-wide impressions.

Leadership

Andy Kohlberg is the Founder, President, and CEO of Kisco Senior Living. He purchased the company's first community in 1990 and has led the organization ever since. Before entering senior living, Kohlberg had a competitive tennis career, reaching the Wimbledon semifinals and U.S. Open quarterfinals, and he has served since 2004 as an investment partner and Vice Chairman with the Phoenix Suns.

Visit the official Kisco Senior Living leadership page for the complete and most current executive team.

Recent News, Growth, and Recognition

The Fitzgerald of Palisades Opens in Washington, D.C.

Kisco opened The Fitzgerald of Palisades, an 84-unit Signature community in the Palisades neighborhood of Washington, D.C., in the late spring of 2025. The Art Deco-inspired community is Kisco's second in the greater Washington, D.C. area and offers independent living, assisted living, and memory care.

Read independent coverage from Yield Pro magazine.

Drake Terrace Earns SAGECare Platinum Credential for LGBTQ+ Senior Care

In August 2024, Drake Terrace in San Rafael, California, became the first senior living community in Marin County to earn SAGECare Platinum credentialing, recognizing completion of LGBTQ+ aging cultural competency training across at least 80 percent of its management and non-management staff.

Read independent coverage from Senior Living News.

Kisco Communities Recognized in U.S. News & World Report's 2025 Best Senior Living Ratings

U.S. News & World Report's 2025 Best Senior Living program, based on a national survey of residents and families, recognized all of the Kisco communities it evaluated as Best Senior Living communities in at least one care category.

See the original U.S. News & World Report recognition.

Kisco Announces Plans for a New Community in Las Vegas

In April 2026, Kisco announced plans to develop a new senior living community in the Summerlin area of Las Vegas, Nevada, its first in that market, featuring independent living, assisted living, and memory care.

Read independent coverage from Senior Housing News.

Porters Neck Village Begins Second Phase of Modernization

Also in April 2026, Kisco began the second phase of a long-range master plan to modernize Porters Neck Village in Wilmington, North Carolina, replacing 68 older independent living apartments with 67 newly designed, larger residences.

Read independent coverage from Senior Housing News.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Kisco Senior Living? Kisco Senior Living is a privately held, family-owned senior living operator headquartered in Carlsbad, California, that develops and manages communities under three brands: Signature, Lifestyle, and Balfour.

Where is Kisco Senior Living headquartered? Kisco is headquartered in Carlsbad, California.

Who owns Kisco Senior Living? Kisco is privately held and family-owned. It was founded by Andy Kohlberg, who continues to serve as President and CEO.

How many communities does Kisco Senior Living operate? Approximately 30 communities.

Where are Kisco's communities located? Kisco operates communities in California, Colorado, the District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Utah, and Virginia.

What care options does Kisco Senior Living offer? Depending on the community, Kisco offers independent living, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing, CCRC/life plan living, respite care, adult day services, and affordable senior housing.

Does Kisco Senior Living offer memory care? Yes, memory care is available at many Kisco communities, though not all. Families should confirm availability for a specific location.

Does every Kisco community provide the same services and amenities? No. Services and amenities vary by brand and by location. Signature communities generally offer more upscale amenities and hospitality-style services, while Lifestyle and Balfour communities focus on a more traditional senior living experience.

What are the differences between Kisco's Signature, Lifestyle, and Balfour brands? Signature is Kisco's upscale, hospitality-focused tier. Lifestyle communities generally combine independent living with assisted living and memory care. Balfour communities tend to concentrate on assisted living and memory care with a traditional, familiar approach.

What do reviews say about Kisco Senior Living? Feedback varies by community. Recurring themes include staff warmth and responsiveness and satisfaction with dining and activities, though families should review recent feedback for the specific community they are considering.

How much do Kisco communities cost? Pricing varies significantly by community, brand, location, and level of care. Families should contact the specific community directly for current pricing.

How can families find a Kisco community? Families can browse Kisco communities through Senior Care Finder's listings or through Kisco's own community locator.

How can someone schedule a tour of a Kisco community? Families can request a tour directly through the Senior Care Finder listing for the community they are interested in.

Explore Kisco Senior Living Communities

Comparing individual Kisco communities is the best way to understand what a specific location actually offers, since services, amenities, pricing, and resident experience vary across the company's three brands and ten states. Explore Kisco Senior Living communities on Senior Care Finder for current listings, ratings, and details for locations near you.

Services, pricing, availability, leadership, and resident experience can all vary meaningfully from one Kisco community to the next.

Kisco Senior Living is a paid Senior Care Finder partner. Partner status does not replace the need for families to independently evaluate individual communities, services, pricing, licensing information, and recent reviews.

Company information, leadership details, programs, recognition, and news were reviewed using publicly available sources. Information last reviewed July 2026.