Based on the Foresight TV livestream aired on Jul 24, 2026.
What would senior living look like if communities stopped defaulting to “no”?
In this episode of Foresight TV, Steve Moran speaks with Honor Barrett, CEO of Birchgrove, the United Kingdom’s first company dedicated exclusively to later living for rent. Honor shares how Birchgrove is challenging the UK’s deep attachment to homeownership while creating independent living communities where older adults are treated as neighbors, not simply residents.
They explore the differences between senior living in the United States and the UK, the realities of marketing a new rental model, and why storytelling is critical to increasing occupancy. Honor also explains Birchgrove’s “culture of yes,” an approach that gives residents greater choice, encourages employees to pursue new opportunities, and makes each community feel more like home.
The conversation covers:
- How Birchgrove introduced later living for rent to the UK
- Why pricing can influence the average resident move-in age
- The challenge of overcoming resistance to renting in later life
- How a “culture of yes” improves the resident and employee experience
- Why Birchgrove calls its residents “neighbors”
- The role of storytelling and customer education in senior living sales
- How Birchgrove achieved an 85% employee retention rate
- What senior living operators in the US and UK can learn from one another
This episode offers practical ideas for senior living leaders seeking to improve culture, occupancy, employee retention, and the overall resident experience.
