The Best Independent Living Communities in Dupage County, IL

"We took a tour for my aunt Martha and fell in love with independence village. The community feels so vibrant and lively. Nothing like the other places we saw that felt cold and medical. She is not ready to move yet but we are putting this community at the tip top of our list!"

"I'm a resident of StoryPoint Naperville. It has a very homey atmosphere. I like the people here. The food is real good. In February, I'll be here 11 years. I wouldn't be here if I didn't like it. It's a very nice place to be. My apartment is adequate. It's plenty big enough for what I have here. It's a nice apartment. I have a living room, a bedroom, a large bathroom, a kitchen, and I've got a washer and dryer in the room, which I love. There's a lot of good things about it. There are different floor plans. I've been in the same one since I got here. We have a lot of activities. They have card games, different games, and socials. Especially on Fridays, a person comes in here and plays the piano. Everybody loves that. We will sit around and listen to him and then they have drinks and desserts. They have a nice front porch where you can sit in the good weather. I like the staff. They're very friendly and helpful. The food is very good. There's always something you can find to eat. I've been in different places where I've had therapy and there's no comparison with the food that we have here. I like it here. They'll take you to different stores, for scenic rides, to your appointments for doctors, to eat, and to church. The carpet is always clean. They keep things up real nice here."

"We loved Clarendale of Addison. The people were very nice and my parents absolutely loved it. The tour was great, the woman we talked to was great, everybody was very pleasant, and the residents talked to us and were very kind. It was all very nice. The rooms were very nice, large, and well-kept. We haven't found an efficiency room that's large enough, but my parents liked it for how it's kept up, and that the room has a separate bedroom. It was nice and very clean, and in good condition as far as how it looked. I would certainly recommend this community to anybody at all. Everything was great and based on the list of activities, my parents would have been very happy there. The whole thing would have been very nice."

"My husband and I have lived at Monarch Landing for 3½ years and are very, very happy that we moved here. Yes, it has many amenities, a large selection of apartments that you can personalize, a friendly staff, and loads of things to do (active and not-so-active). So, what makes us different from other independent living communities in the area? Super-friendly residents. We have made many more friends here in over 3 years than we have in 40+ years living in Naperville. Join a club, committee or simply have dinner with someone, and you’ll have a friend. Walk down the hallway and everyone says, “Good morning” or “Hi! How are you?” Many say that they chose to live at Monarch Landing after looking at other facilities simply because this was the place with the friendliest residents. Don't wait to move here until you “need” the advantages of living here. If you do, you’ll miss out on so much. I am convinced that living here with all our friends will extend our lifespans."

"My dad was a resident of Bridgeway of Bensenville. I have no complaints, and everything was great. The staff was very attentive to all of his needs. The food tasted like cafeteria food. It was very bland. It wasn't overcooked. First, we were in a two-bedroom because my mom was alive, but then she passed away there seven days later that we moved in, and then we moved my dad into a studio. Both of them were okay with what they needed. The upkeep needed some work."

"Cantata is the new name for what had previously been the British Home and apparently its name was changed just a few weeks ago. I was told that the name change is an attempt to overhaul the stuffy image associated with the British Home. The word "Cantata" is derived from the Italian word "cantare" which means "to sing" and the name change is meant to convey a kind of new age composition of voices to care for the elderly. To my mind I never had that image of the British Home as being stodgy. I used to go biking along the bike trail just outside the home and I was more curious than anything. I had always associated the Home with Brookfield Zoo which is practically in its backyard. Nevertheless I can appreciate what the nursing home is trying to do in recreating its image. I would recommend this assisted living facility based on its cleanliness, the amount of light exposure from its modern windows and an ample size health center that also allows membership from the community. Indeed on the day that I visited I saw some very energetic seniors on bikes and tread mills and I was very impressed. These folks were trying to live life to its fullness! That along with the light streaming from the floor to ceiling windows in the lobby and throughout sold me. Like any place that you are deciding to live there are pros and cons. Another positive is the proximity to medical staff that are housed at the facility. The thing that I did not like about the facility was the rather nondescript furnishings (the chairs and tables throughout). The sitting rooms just didn't seem like a place I could relax, but that could just be my own taste. The dining room I thought was pretty generic (except for the windows). The menu did not impress me, but I will say that I did get a whiff of what smelled like peach cobbler and that was fantastic. I was told that meal preparation had been taken over by new management recently. I also did not care for the individual apartments, especially the carpet which was dark and seemed institutional. I will say that the facility was clean and smelled good. The receptionist and customer relations specialist were very nice and helpful. Overall I would recommend Cantata and this may be a great time to move here not only because of its name change, but the kind of upbeat image it is trying to promote. "

"My parents have been residents for a short period of time and have already adjusted wonderfully! First I have to say that the facility is immaculate! Fresh water stations with fruit and seating areas throughout! The staff is so nice and very helpful with anything you need. Their apartment is very spacious with every accommodation you can think of! Motion sensors, grab bars, modified tub for easy access, higher outlets and more. They are most excited about the convenience of the dining room that offers a big selection on the menu. They love to participate in all the events provided where they have already made many friends. Overall my parents couldn’t be happier about their decision to transition to independent living from their single family residence of 60 years and in turn makes the entire family happy!"

"I was impressed with Brookdale Plaza, I liked the place. I thought it was a little expensive but I spoke with residents and they liked the food and they were happy. The physical plan was very nice, it was nicely decorated and the rooms were very nice. I liked mostly everything about it. I came into contact with three people at the most and they were helpful and informative. "

"It is great, and they have everything. They have food and several different menus for dinner."

"I visited Hearthwood Senior Living. They were undergoing renovations, so we could see through that. They have an indoor pool. They have two meals a day. They have a private dining room, a wine cellar, and a bistro. They have happy hours on Wednesdays and Fridays. The two-bedroom that we saw there was nice. We also saw a one-bedroom with a den that was OK, but it was difficult to tell size-wise between the den and the closet. Bathrooms were ADA-compliant and very nice. They have small but usable kitchens. Storage was fine. They had a storage room close to your unit, which was maybe only four by six. They had an in-unit washer and dryer and all the amenities you'd want, beauty salon, exercise room, art room, movie theater, game rooms, lounges, and things like that. It was built on the grounds of a former seminary or convent. One of the stipulations about the purchase of the land is that the chapel had to remain, so you can get to the chapel without having to go outside, and they do transport you to services, Lutheran services, Presbyterian services, and Catholic services. They do services in the chapel. In fact, people who live in the neighborhood come to the chapel for Sunday mass. Another thing about Hearthwood that I really particularly enjoyed is that almost every unit has a balcony."

"My mother moved into Sunnymere last year. My Aunt has lived there for 10 years, so we were familiar with the dedicated staff and quality of the facility. The grounds are beautiful with mature trees and a view of the Phillips Golf Course. My mother enjoys the view of the golf course and the flowers on Smith Boulevard on her daily walks. And, the food is great! "

"We put mom over in Victorian Village. We love the place and the staff is good. It is well kept. They have activities. Over all it is a very good experience. "

"The Holmstad was excellent and great. The people were wonderful and informative. It was all good, but it’s not going to work right now for my mother. There’s apartments, memory center, and infirmary living situations. There were two or three dining rooms: one was restaurant-style and one was buffet. If my mother is going to live some place, it would be there. "

"This is such a wonderful community. Beautiful court yard and they have great staff that care. The rooms are very specious. Great place to live "