Our residents are talking.
We think there’s no better expert on Park Place than our residents. They know what it’s like to live the Park Place difference, every day. And they have plenty to share — from the dining (“better than home-cooked”) to the indoor heated pool (“it’s part of our daily exercise routine now”).
Below, in their own words, our residents share what they enjoy about living here. Visit our video gallery as well to see and hear much more. And if you’d like to get the complete picture of Park Place for yourself, call (630) 333-4343 or use this form, and we’ll arrange your personal tour.
“We moved here because we wanted to plan for the future.” Tom & Shirley Myers, residents
Shirley – “It seems that too many seniors stay isolated in their house, and I realized older adults need to be with other people instead. Also, one spouse usually has to care for the other spouse, but not here.”
“I’m much busier now because we have so many wonderful programs and people here. We have a little group called “the gatherers” at the Bistro for people whose spouses don’t like to get up early. So every morning we’ll meet, and then I’ll surprise Tom with breakfast.”
Tom – “When people say the financial obligations are too expensive, I always say to come to Park Place and see what you get for your money! This is the best gift you can give your kids. They know you’re being taken care of and you can get help if you need it.”
“I don’t have to worry about anything except my art.” Linda Dibblee, resident
“I looked at lots of other communities, but the people here at Park Place seemed really vibrant. There’s a niche here for everyone. Once I saw the art studio, I knew this was the place I wanted to be. I’m very good with painting and colors, so another artist here encouraged the community to display my work.”
“I feel very secure here – if I were sick, all my friends would come over to the health center and visit. You live the difference when you’re able to participate in all the activities you love; you’re not lonely and you’re motivated. That’s the difference.”
“We seek out new activities, and we seem to discover more almost every day.” Dr. Sunny & Sara Andrews, residents
Sara – “We did lots of research and learned the value of Life Care. We decided Park Place had all we needed – it’s clean, new, spacious, and we love it. Every week they come and clean the apartment, and I’ll never have to worry about snow, ice or the lawn ever again – it’s a luxury!”
Sunny – “I find great value in Life Care and the fact that it’s sponsored by a nonprofit. And I wanted to move before it was too late and someone else had to make the decision for me. You have to move while you’re healthy enough to enjoy it. At Park Place, there are spiritual, physical and intellectual opportunities every day of the week. I couldn’t be happier.”
“We wanted to trade uncertainty for certainty.” Jack & Peggy Cashman, residents
Jack: “I admit that I wasn’t for this in the beginning. But Peggy asked me to look, and when I started to research, it hit me. We completely take our kids off the hook. Both Peggy and I were 1,000 miles away from our parents and they did none of this. And we didn’t want to do that to our kids.”
Peggy: “We looked at other communities, but not a lot because we didn’t need to. We’re Elmhurst residents, and we knew this area very, very well. The location is phenomenal. The staff is so friendly, it’s like walking into a familiar neighborhood. We probably know 90 percent of the residents here. I think we’re such advocates for this community because we really love it and believe in it.”
“Our mantra would be ‘Don’t wait.’ It’s one of the strongest things we could say to people who are considering Park Place.” Ed & Cathy Shea, residents
Ed: “I think my life was good before coming here, but I think I did myself a huge favor by choosing Park Place. I have a more balanced life here. I feel like my life is so much better balanced now. My life has been so enriched since I moved here. It’s the right amount of whatever you want, whenever you want.”
Cathy: “I wanted to wait. And I’m so glad I didn’t wait any longer. I’d encourage people to study the places, go visit them and research them, but really – have the courage to downsize while you can. It’s a gift to give each other to do it while you’re both participating in the decisions and downsizing and the new retirement lifestyle together.”
“I felt we were both safe, secure, and welcome here right from the beginning.” Ann Knutson, resident
“My husband Ken was an attorney, and someone Ken knew was looking into moving to Park Place and wanted him to look at the papers. He thought it looked interesting, so we went to look at Park Place when it was still under construction. We were so impressed we decided to put down a deposit, too. Between the time we signed up and the time the community opened, my husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. It was a great comfort knowing that even though his health status changed, we knew we had a solid plan. That’s the biggest value to me – the security of knowing no matter what happens, you know you’ve got everything here that you need.”
“My life is just better here. I was so ready for this.” Joyce Knuepfer, resident
“I’m around people whenever I want to be, which is wonderful. I’m a widow, and I love being around people. And I’m so busy here! I have so many things I can do socially that sometimes I have to prioritize. I was in a much larger house before I moved here, but I only lived in my kitchen, my bedroom and my den. That’s exactly what I have here, and I love it. The way I look at it, less is more. I have less to worry about, and more to enjoy.”
“I get to see my grandchildren more often than just the holidays.” Pat Gilmartin, resident
Pat: “I used to live much farther away, and I missed a lot of my grandkids’ activities. Now that I live at Park Place, I can be a bigger part of their lives. I can watch them grow up.”
Garrett, her grandson: “It’s nice to see my grandma on a regular basis, and it’s fun coming here. It’s a beautiful place. And she gets to see my brothers and me all the time.”
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