Finnish-American Village Receives Multiple Awards in 2025
Finnish-American Village, a nonprofit senior living healthcare organization serving Palm Beach County for over 50 years, has received multiple awards in 2025, recognizing their commitment to excellence in senior care.
The Village’s integrated services — Home Care, Assisted Living, and Short- and Long-Term Rehabilitation — have each been recognized by respected state, national, and federal organizations that evaluate quality, safety, and resident satisfaction. Together, these divisions of Finnish-American Village form one continuous mission of service, under the strong leadership of Katja Pukkila (Assisted Living Manager), Crib Castro (Director of Nursing), and Emily Bernarding (Home Care Administrator).
The 3 divisions have fortified the reputation of Finnish-American Village as a community resource that honors cultural traditions while delivering modern, cutting-edge care. Each level supports the next, ensuring consistency, dignity, and excellence throughout every stage of life. An emphasis on team cohesion, measurable quality, and compassionate care positions the Village to continue decades of serving families with excellence and to be a model for integrated senior care
“These awards reflect the dedication and compassion of our entire team,” said Daniel Benson, Executive Director of Finnish-American Village. “Each department, from clinical staff to activities, dietary, maintenance, and administration works in harmony to ensure each person receives not just care — but exceptional quality of life. I’m really proud of the exemplary leadership team, whose collaboration and vision have elevated Finnish-American Village to a model of excellence in senior care.”
The recognitions earned by Finnish-American Village are concrete evidence of the team’s unified mission to provide exceptional and compassionate care:
Home Care recognized by the Best of Florida Guide — an acknowledgment of outstanding community-facing services and compassionate, consistent care delivery from a statewide publication that celebrates top-rated service providers from community voting and customer feedback.
Deficiency-free Assisted Living — passing rigorous regulatory inspections by state surveyors without citations demonstrates rigorous compliance, training, and day-to-day excellence from the front-line staff through managers. FAV was recognized for this by Florida Assisted Living Association, the state’s leading advocate and educator representing excellence in elder care and quality of life standards.
Skilled Nursing rated 5 stars by CMS — the top federal rating from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services reflects quality measures, staffing, clinical outcomes, and resident safety are at the highest levels, based on state health inspections, placing FAV among the top nursing facilities in the nation.
Best of Senior Living from A Place for Mom (10/10) — a consumer-facing award from the nation’s largest senior living referral service signals families recognize the warmth, professionalism, and value of the services provided and placing the Village among the top 1–2% of communities nationwide for satisfaction and trust
Each of these awards is not an individual accolade but a mirror held up to the whole organization: clinical teams, dietary and environmental services, therapy, social engagement and activities, and administration earning trust from regulators, industry peers, and families alike.
Executive Director Daniel Benson, M.S., has dedicated his career to cultivating top-performing teams across the senior living industry. Before joining Finnish-American Village in 2017, he led multiple organizations to success through a leadership approach grounded in integrity, collaboration, and excellence. Guided by core values that prioritize quality care and the well-being of staff, Benson empowers his team to contribute their unique strengths—creating a cohesive culture where care, compliance, and compassion converge.
“What sets us apart,” Benson adds, “is not just meeting the standard — it’s setting it. Our community thrives because our team believes in our mission to serve, and they respect and uplift every resident and each other, every hour of every day.”
About Finnish-American Village
Finnish-American Village is a nonprofit senior living community located in Lake Worth, Florida. Founded to honor Finnish-American heritage and culture, the Village now serves residents of all backgrounds through a continuum of care that includes Home Care, Assisted Living, Short- and Long-Term Rehabilitation. Its mission is to enhance the lives of seniors with dignity, compassion, and excellence in every interaction.