The Best Independent Living Communities in Cook County, IL

"I visited The Clare recently. I have a sister living there and I was there after chemotherapy bouts in both skilled nursing and assisted living. We now have an independent living unit there. It is quite different from what you have down here. It is a vertical high-rise apartment in downtown Chicago, so it is quite different. The food is very good. The staff is equally good. They have movies, and they will take you to local events like opera, theatre, and the symphony. You can go out the door and access five or six good restaurants. It is something you can't do down here. The food in the assisted living is not their best food, but in independent living it is much better."

"We went to look at Brookdale Lake Shore Drive. I like everything. I like the way it was set up for my brother. The facility was very clean. The people were very friendly. The staff was friendly and explained everything to us. But my sister said it was too far. The dining area was set up good. It was like a restaurant setup. They had a doctor and a nurse on staff. If my brother needed anything, he could push the button, and they would come to him. They have a barbershop and salon. They could go outside, which I like."

"I moved into Autumn Green at Midway Village. The people are nice and friendly and I feel safe. The staff was nice. They come to my apartment every Tuesday. The facility is clean. They have a gym. They had a barbecue this week. And they have a movie theater. It's a friendly atmosphere in here."

"I have briefly visited other nursing homes and assisted living facilities and I think this is one of the best. My mother visits almost every day, though, and I know that's one way to make sure that your relatives are well taken care of...The staff is always friendly and willing to make accommodations in the residents' schedules for visitors. For all residents, both those on the 8th floor (mainly dementia patients, some rehab) and on the lower floors (mainly in their own apartments with mini-kitchens), there are daily activities. For those who are mobile, there are frequent outings. Book club, story groups, bingo, exercise, ice cream socials...there's also a beautiful roof deck and indoor sitting area on the top floor with many couches and large windows overlooking Lake Michigan. Most residents dine together and food seems decent downstairs from what I've seen. The food on the 8th floor is pretty basic cafeteria style food, not so good. "

"My grandmother moved into Concord Place last week. The biggest reason why we chose it was the cost. Her costs increase slightly as she needs more help. It's a nice place. The people are very nice there. She likes it. They have a pool. They have different activities there. They have a workout facility and a theater. It's also 10 minutes from where I work, so that's convenient for me to be able to go over there if she needs anything. We had two meals there, and the food was very good. The building's cleanliness is very good, too. They have activities. My grandmother played bingo, and they had a dance. She had a good time."

"My mom was a resident of Lincolnwood Place. There were a lot of nurses there, and there was 24-hour care. For her level, she was so ill. She needs a lot of medical care. The food was really good. There was a doctor on staff, there was a nurse practitioner, there were nurses, and lots of caregivers. The caregivers were great, and it's just a beautiful place. It was very clean. They prepare the food fresh every day. It was just good food because I sat with her, for lunch, for dinner and it was good food. They also had different choices, which was nice. They have rooms and then they have the nurse's station, and then they have like, a little area where you can visit. Also, they have a beautiful garden where you can stay outside and get fresh air and sunshine. They had activities every day. They had board games, they had a lot of music, and they had musicians coming in. In the other section, I saw people coming and going on their own, but my mom needed a lot of care. The nice thing is that if you live there, they have this transportation bus. They would take you from town, like shopping to the mall. It's not cheap though. It's pretty pricey, but compared to a lot of senior facilities I went to, some were so depressing. They were dark and gloomy, and very depressing, but this one, it's bright and cheerful and it's a newer facility."

"My dad is a resident of Celebrate Senior Living of Niles. The admissions staff was very responsive, and they have a very positive environment. Overall, the whole experience was great. The staff is extremely friendly, extremely responsive, and professional. The food has been very well-received, so the feedback that he's given has been good. They have a wide range of activities, which has been fantastic. Plus, everything's kind of laid out well. They are also very active in terms of extracurricular activities. So, it has been very positive. Just based on feedback from my dad, he's had a blast. They had a dance, and they did a bingo night. For what we receive, I find that it's very affordable, and I feel like there's a lot of value."

"The Roosevelt at Salt Creek is my number 1 pick, but I can't get a room with a laundry room in it. You have to go down the hall like you're at a laundromat, and I just can't do that. Nevertheless, I like everything about it. I would see people in the hallway, and they were very friendly. The marketing people were very well-versed, cooperative, and attentive. They don't have a nursing section for later on, and I just want to make one move. They offered a free lunch the day we were there. They also offered to work with me on the rent. They were remodeling at that time, but the units I visited were very clean, and the dining room was lovely and clean. I love the fact that they have an indoor pool. Swimming is important to me, but that's not a deal breaker because I know most places don't have a swimming pool. However, that was an extra advantage from my standpoint."

"I went to look at The Merion. It was nice, as well as the woman who showed it to me, but it was too expensive for me. The place was beautiful, it had a pool, and I liked the place where it's at. It's a beautiful neighborhood. I didn't want to pay that much money for it, and I didn't want to move to the suburbs. The staff member who gave me the tour was wonderful, she was very accommodating, she called me several times, and she's very nice. It's a gorgeous facility."

"The rooms a spacious and well maintained. Food is customized My mother in law has been a resident for over 3 years and enjoys everyday which is filled with activities and fellowship."

"I like Belmont Village Glenview very much. The staff was friendly. The place looked nice and clean. I and my two sisters like the place. They had different-sized rooms, and we were very satisfied with the size of the room that we would have chosen for my mom. They have a lot going on every day. They have a book club, and they show movies. It seemed to be pretty good. They had a salon, a library, and a room to get coffee or snacks. Belmont Village Glenview is our favorite. The staff were very nice, too. They seemed to be people that I would be comfortable leaving my mother with. It felt homey."

"It was very clean. The staff during the tour was very friendly. It felt warm and welcoming. The people seemed friendly."

"I'm doing research for myself, and so far, the one I like the best is Vi At The Glen. It has everything. I have Raynaud's; otherwise, I'm very healthy. I still drive, but I'm 85. So if I cannot drive or if I don't have a car, that's one place that I would never have to leave. It has absolutely everything that I like to do. When I was there, I noticed the people were active. In all the other places, I hardly saw any people, and here at Vi, I saw people playing cards and doing things. I also like the fact that it has a pool, a workout room, a library, and all sorts of activities. It has places to walk inside. If you have a car, it has indoor heated parking, and they bring your car, and there's no charge for it. It's all included, and no tipping for that, so how nice is that? I saw the apartment that I would choose. I only want a one-bedroom. It's a living room, a bedroom, and a bath and a half. They supply all appliances, even a stack washer and dryer. They offer a full kitchen and 30 meals a month, which is probably plenty because I only eat three meals a day basically, so for me it's good. I also like where it is located in Glenview. The staff was very pleasant. The gardens are beautiful. I don't garden, but it's pretty."

"We chose Lexington Square of Lombard for the location because it's closer to most of us compared to some of the others that I looked at, and they are all very caring people. I like their tenure. Most of the staff has been there for quite some time and that was important to me because my cousin is in memory care, and I wanted to make sure that the staff knew how to deal with memory care. Safety is pretty good. I have to have a passkey to go in and to get out. They don't let just anybody in. The residents aren't able to get on the elevator on their own. I like the fact that the residents all wear a little beeper to page a nurse if need be. She has indicated that the food was very good. I like the variety. She is diabetic, and they are paying attention to that, so I thought that was great. There are things that she doesn't like, but I didn't see anybody complaining. They seem to be keeping her quite busy. They have her up and dressed every day. She's always doing something. The facility is very pleasant, very homey, and very clean. Everybody just seems very comfortable there."