The idea for Horizon Village was conceived by Dan Barklind, one of our owners. Dan envisioned a place where retirement can be a continuation of our life, not a major life disruption as is so often the case. As we get older, our ability to handle life's ups and downs diminishes. The common industry solution is to move people into apartment style living wherecorporate profits are maximized and our freedoms are gradually taken away under the guise of safety.

Another owner, Mike Wise, experienced this decline of freedom of choice in both his father and father-in-law. Both men, widowers, moved into apartment style retirement communities in California. Mike's father-in-law, Ernie, had a heart valve problem that required surgery. Living in a life management community, Ernie was forced to move into assisted living during his recovery. Once he recovered, the facility refused to let him move back into his apartment, saying he was no longer capable of living independently. After months of fruitless negotiations, Mike and his wife were forced to hire an attorney and ultimately forced the retirement facility to let Ernie return to independent living. This fight for Enrie's rights cost well over $25,000.  Mike vowed to never let that happen to anyone in his family again. 

Years later, Mike's father, Tom, moved into an apartment style Independent Living Facility (ILF). He was in an unfamiliar part of town and no longer driving. After getting lost on 2 separate occasions, he was evicted from the ILF and forced to move into a memory care facility where he had to wear a wander guard anklet. After a month of this, Mike moved him to Horizon Village where he lived another 2 years.

Dan, his wife Shirley and Mike are all active in the day-to day operations of Horizon Village. You'll find them often at the Saturday breakfast, at village parties and events, or in the office doing whatever they do in there.