What is the purpose of the structure?
The Bishop John E. Knight Golden Age Home or the JEK Home, as it is more fondly referred to, is a ministry offered by the Antiguan Conference of the Moravian Church to take care of elderly persons in Antigua and Barbuda. This project was conceived over two decades ago and has grown and morphed into a state-of-the-art elderly care facility with a mission to provide quality, compassionate and affordable care to elderly Moravians within the conference and other elderly persons in Antigua & Barbuda.

What is the bed capacity?
The JEK Home project is a modern state-of-the -art 48-bed 20,000 square foot facility which includes a nursing home and a full-service Day-care Center.
Additional, features of the facility are: An extensive courtyard with a network of spacious walkways to promote physical activities, a separate dining area for residents in the nursing home, a commercial kitchen and laundry, medical examination areas, an extensive lobby area, administrative and staff quarters and extensive storage rooms.

When is the projected opening date?
Towards the end of October 4th, 2020.

Is it a community-type project?
Yes, it is. As an example, the adult day services component will be primarily for seniors who are still active in their respective communities and live at home. Typically, they will come to the center to socialize and fellowship with their friends, participate in educational programs, engage in arts and cultural activities, take day trips to places of interests, etc.
Another aspect of the Home will offer a high-level skilled nursing care including post-operative care, dispensing and monitoring intravenous medications, physical, speech, occupational therapy, social and educational activities to not only the residents of the home but those from the community based on availability.

The JEK Home will provide distinctive level of care for seniors that will be unmatched in Antigua and Barbuda and the OECS. It will promote quality of life and preserve personal dignity through a complement of well-trained staff which will ensure that the social and personal requirements of the seniors residing in the JEK Home are met.

What is the fee structure like?
It is expected that the seniors will come from various socio-economic strata and therefore the fee structure will include competitive fees for some services, others that are bases on a sliding fee basis and others that will be free and based on our Christian responsibility to care for the least among us. The mix of these types of fees will be carefully considered to ensure the proposed facility’s economic viability and sustainability

How did you get involved with the project?
Very interesting question. In 2012 I was in my kitchen preparing a meal and in walked this stranger, Rev. Nigel Daniels, who was the Superintendent of the conference at the time. He introduced himself to me and asked me to join the effort to move the building process forward. The request felt right to me and, without any hesitation, I immediately gave him my commitment. Since then, it has been a labor of love as I have seen the redesign and the construction of this project move forward under the stellar leadership of two Superintendents: Algernon Lewis and currently, Rev. Bonnie Smith and supported by our incredible Board Chair Mr. Neil Coates from a concept to now, the final stages of construction.

“First, on behalf of the Bishop John E. Knight Golden Age Home Board of Directors, I would like to thank the management and staff of Argos Cement for their generous donation which has allowed The Bishop John E. Knight Golden Age Home to complete its driveway which is a critical final step towards opening the Home,” said Jacqueline Thomas, secretary of the John E. Knight Golden Age Home and one of the key persons who played a pivotal role in the final plan for the building.

Imagine what we can build together!