Kendal at Home Founding CEO Lynne Giacobbe Retires After 23 Years
March 11, 2026
WESTLAKE, Ohio — Kendal at Home, a nonprofit life plan at home program, has announced the retirement of founding CEO Lynne Giacobbe after 23 years with the organization.
Giacobbe joined Kendal at Home in 2003, when the concept of a continuing-care retirement community without walls was still largely untested. Under her leadership, the organization grew from a pilot program in northern Ohio into an organization serving members in multiple states.
In 2016, she led Kendal at Home through its establishment as an independent Kendal affiliate, a move that supported its expansion into new markets, including Massachusetts and Kentucky.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Giacobbe led the organization’s shift to virtual services, including online programming, grocery delivery, and remote fitness and brain health initiatives. Kendal at Home was also among the first organizations in the Kendal System to adopt online video meeting platforms for member engagement.
Vassar Byrd, CEO of The Kendal Corporation, said Giacobbe helped shape a new model in aging services.
“Lynne inspired a new way of supporting people as they age, helping to create an entirely new model in aging services,” Byrd said. “She is a visionary who has championed holistic wellness, navigated a changing healthcare landscape, guided the organization through a global pandemic and expanded Kendal at Home’s reach into new states, all while keeping the focus on the members she serves.”
Giacobbe’s work also extended beyond Kendal at Home. Through her partnership with LeadingAge, she helped support continuing care at home programs across the sector. She also contributed to the Kendal Leadership Fellows program and will continue in that role after her retirement.
In a tribute, the Kendal at Home board said Giacobbe’s tenure reflected “compassion, innovation, and cherished moments” and credited her with bringing “comfort, and peace of mind to the lives of older adults.”
Kendal at Home was founded in 2003 and offers services including care coordination, healthy aging planning, and protection against long-term care costs for older adults who want to remain in their homes as they age.