Nearly 20 percent of Park Ridge residents are older than 65, making the quiet Chicago suburb home to a vibrant, robust community of seniors. The Park Ridge Centennial Activity Center and bustling Park Ridge senior living communities offer endless opportunities for seniors to engage and meet new friends and neighbors. First, it’s important to find Park Ridge assisted living that has the flexibility to meet individual needs and expectations. Here are five things to know about assisted living in Park Ridge:
1. Customized Options
One-size-fits-all approaches rarely work in life—and Park Ridge assisted living is no exception. Personalized care plans ensure that residents receive just enough help to remain independent. The Summit of Uptown in Park Ridge, for example, will perform a wellness assessment to help shape an individual care plan. By only providing help where it’s needed, customized care plans help manage costs and ensure there’s flexibility to meet changing care needs over time.
2. Memory Care
Between 2017 and 2025, the number of people with dementia in Illinois is expected to increase by 18.2 percent, the Alzheimer’s Association reports. Assisted living in Park Ridge that offers dedicated memory care programming for residents with dementia will ensure that resident needs can be met within the community, no matter what the future holds.
3. Residents Are Free to Come and Go
Taking in new experiences as we grow older has a profound affect on cognitive health. Getting out into the community to do things like volunteer at the Park Ridge Nonprofit Center, take a walk in historic downtown Park Ridge, or take in a show at Pickwick Theatre helps break up the normal routine and adds variety to life. Park Ridge assisted living residents are free to have a car, and transportation services are available as well.
4. Continuing Care
Assisted living usually benefits individuals who need help with two or more activities of daily living (ADLs) like dressing or bathing. For those who don’t need help with ADLs but want to enjoy the safety, security, and community engagement of assisted living, independent living might be a better fit. Independent living offers the same level of community engagement and socialization, but residents are generally able to get by without any help. Communities like The Summit of Uptown in Park Ridge offer assisted living, independent living, and memory care in a continuing care model that enables residents to transition throughout the different types of senior living.
5. Living with Friends Promotes Healthy Aging
The vast majority of seniors who move into assisted living communities build friendships with their new neighbors, and those friendships go a long way in promoting healthy aging. Friendships influence positive lifestyle changes that promote physical, mental, and cognitive health. In fact, seniors with strong friendships have been found to live more than 20 percent longer than their counterparts with fewer friends. So, making friends in Park Ridge assisted living will be fun—and good for your health, too.
Finding Assisted Living in Park Ridge
Park Ridge’s quiet suburban appeal and close proximity to Chicago have made it a popular community for seniors to make their homes. Assisted living options in Park Ridge can be customized to meet individual care needs, providing help only where it’s needed. Continuing care senior living communities enable residents to transition through different types of senior living—independent senior living, assisted living, and memory care—as their needs change. And staying engaged with friends and neighbors and the outside community promotes healthy aging. Contact The Summit of Uptown in Park Ridge to learn more.
