Garden View Manor

A Home Where Care Feels Like Family

By Leslie Byrne

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On a quiet stretch of North 185th Street in Elkhorn sits a house that looks much like the others in the neighborhood. There are no long corridors or nurses’ stations. Instead, you’ll find warmth, laughter, home-cooked meals, and eight residents who are known not by room numbers but by name. Welcome to Garden View Manor.

 

For 14 years, husband-and-wife team Bret and Christi Johnson felt called to create something different in elder care. “We had heard about this smaller residential model years ago, mostly in Arizona and Florida,” Christi explains. “It sounded phenomenal. We thought, when we reach that age, this is what we would prefer.” 

 

The journey wasn’t swift. After they took a course in Arizona to better understand the model, it took nearly a decade to secure funding and bring the vision to life. In the meantime, they opened and continue to operate a caregiving services company. But Garden View Manor was always the dream…and in August of 2022, that dream became a reality. 

 

Garden View Manor is intentionally small. The Daisy House is home to just eight residents, each with a private room. The limited number allows staff to truly know each resident—their favorite meals, their routines, the subtle signs that something may not feel quite right. “That’s what’s so special about it,” Christi says. “We can tell quickly if someone isn’t quite themselves. We know them that well.”

 

The home accommodates assisted living residents and can care for some individuals with memory challenges. Hospice, physical therapy, and occupational therapy providers come in as needed. The goal is often to allow residents to remain in the home through the end of life, surrounded by familiar faces and family.

 

Family involvement is central to the culture. One resident’s daughter discovered Garden View Manor when she felt her mom was not receiving enough care elsewhere. Moving her closer to Elkhorn meant more frequent visits and a renewed sense of peace.

 

Holidays are celebrated as family events. There’s a large Christmas gathering, a Fourth of July celebration, and weekly traditions like Wednesday night card games, where grandchildren and great-grandchildren pull up chairs alongside their older loved ones. It’s not uncommon for family members to stay in a loved one’s room during hospice care, ensuring that no one is alone during life’s final chapter.

 

The home itself reflects the thought and care poured into its design. With zero-level entry, wide spaces, and carefully considered features, it was built for both safety and comfort. Concrete-reinforced areas offer protection during tornado warnings. A backup generator ensures continuity of care. A basement shower was installed for caregivers, which is particularly helpful during Nebraska snowstorms when staff may need to stay overnight.

 

In the early days, Christi provided much of the hands-on caregiving herself, which gave her valuable insight into what truly works. Meals are personalized. After sitting down with residents and listening to what they love (and don’t love), menus are adjusted. Entertainment includes visiting musicians, and residents eagerly collect “bingo bucks” to shop at the in-house store.

 

When families first call Garden View Manor, Christi notes, their requests are often simple and heartfelt: more attentive care, fewer falls, more eyes on their loved one. “They want to know someone is really watching out for Mom or Dad,” she says.

 

One of the greatest surprises for her has been how deeply residents value conversation. “I knew it mattered,” she says, “but I didn’t realize how much it affects them just to sit and talk. They love when someone takes the time to listen to their story.” That intentional presence extends to staff culture, as well. Christi describes feeling “blessed with a great team,” many of whom have been there over a year, with very little turnover since opening.

 

Looking ahead, the vision is growing. The Daisy House may one day be joined by another flower-named home or two, with hopes of expanding into smaller surrounding communities like Yutan. Seniors often want to remain close to the towns they have always known.

 

At its core, Garden View Manor is more than a business. For its founders, it’s a calling. “This is what God has called us to do,” Christi says. “We just love helping the residents and their families.”

 

For many women who are navigating caregiving decisions for a spouse, parent, or grandparent, Garden View Manor represents a reassuring option: a place where aging doesn’t mean losing connection, where care is personal, and where home truly feels like home.

 

In a world where elder care can often feel clinical and overwhelming, Garden View Manor stands as a reminder that dignity, attention, and simple conversation still matter most. To learn more, visit gardenviewelkhorn.com or call 531-999-2264. 

 

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