Independent Living Communities in Forest Park, IL

"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."

"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."

"Sunrise at Fountain Square was very nice. There were lots to see. They're very active over there, which is great. There were lots to do if you wish to take part. One of the cooks came in when we were in one of the rooms, introduced himself, and welcomed us. The staff during the tour was great. It was clean."

"American House Oak Park was a brand-new facility. The layout was very well thought through. The rooms were nicely laid out in a way that made sense. There's enough room, but not too much room. It was a very modern, up-to-date sort of place. They didn't have a very large population of people living there yet. It was like going into a hotel that's only half empty. They had a dining area, a small workout facility, and some classes that were community-based. The person who gave me the tour was very knowledgeable. The location was kind of off a beaten path. It was a pretty good hike especially for a senior to walk from there to the downtown Oak Park area. There was a grocery store and a pharmacy relatively close by. The L train and the Metra train are a good mile away."

"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."

"My husband is going to go to Belmont Village Lincoln Park. Why we chose that one, was because of their more aggressive approach to involving residents in activities, getting them out of their rooms, making sure they're up and dressed and using their hearing aids and glasses, and staying up and dressed during the day. The person who gave me the tour was very knowledgeable, very helpful, and very thorough. The rooms were quite adequate. They're very nice and brand new. They have closets and drawers. The place is a very nice physical plan, and it is brand new. I like the fact that it had some outdoor space so that residents could be taken outside to get some fresh air. The dining area looked very pleasant, it smelled good, and the people seemed quite content eating there. With regard to activities, they all seemed engaged and involved in group activities when I was there. I don't know what specific activities were, but there was stuff going on in the common room. The atmosphere was very upbeat. It was brand new, so everything just looked very nice and seemed solidly built. On the change of residents, they refreshed the room and repainted it. Everybody seemed very involved and very friendly. Everyone seemed to know all the residents."

"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."

"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."

"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."

"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 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. "

"I toured The Breakers at Edgewater Beach. The least that I liked was the distance. It's the location, but other than that, I liked it. The staff was very nice. It's a friendly and warm atmosphere. It's a very nice, open dining room, and it looks like they have a good chef. They have an outside park area where you can walk, and the lake is across Lake Shore Drive, a nice area to walk."

"I did an in-person tour of Clarendale of Addison's independent living. The lady who did the tour was very good and very thorough. I was very impressed with the facility. It was very nice and clean. Everybody I've seen in the independent living part seems to be very much in tune with everything and a very friendly group. All in all, I thought it was a very good experience."