Editor’s Note: McKnight’s Long-Term Care News, McKnight’s Senior Living and McKnight’s Home Care are profiling the McKnight’s 2024 Women of Distinction honorees daily from July 1 to Aug. 13. For additional McKnight’s Women of Distinction content, visit this page.

Melinda Skirvin has worked in senior living for 37 years and has battled adversity along the way.

Being the current chief wellness officer across 136 Five Star Senior Living communities is certainly no walk in the park, but she has skillfully balanced her professional and personal life while providing quality care not only to residents but to loved ones as well. 

Skirvin has cared for multiple family members facing serious health challenges, including her son, who received a leukemia diagnosis at age 15; her mother-in-law during her battles with two types of cancer; her grandfather; and her husband during his final years. Those experiences have demonstrated her enormous capacity for empathy and compassion, which also serve her well professionally. Skirvin is a crucial part of the Five Star team and sets a great example for all of her colleagues to follow. 

“Melinda is not just a volunteer and caregiver; she is a woman whose life is a testament to selflessness and resilience. She finds fulfillment and purpose in serving others and an unwavering commitment to those in need,” her nominator said. “Above all, Melinda works to make sure that seniors always keep advancing. She creates an environment where seniors have meaningful and profound experiences that show that quality of life is truly ageless.”

More about Skirvin: 

  • For the past 30 years, Skirvin has volunteered at The Pentecostals of Cooper City, where she volunteers in the nursery, caring for infants. 
  • She is a prolific baker, often sharing her baked goods with the communities she visits. 
  • She entered the senior living field as a charge nurse. 

The McKnight’s Women of Distinction program is jointly administered by McKnight’s Long-Term Care News, McKnight’s Senior Living and McKnight’s Home Care. Healthcare Services Group was the Platinum sponsor of this year’s McKnight’s Women of Distinction Awards and Forum. PointClickCare was the Gold sponsor, and PharMerica was the Silver sponsor. Other sponsors included Curana Health, DirecTV for Business, Easyshifts, Hireology, Reliant Rehabilitation, ShiftKey and Sentrics.

Visit this web page to see lists of honorees from 2024 and previous years.