Our daughter Jennifer said to our grandchildren, nine and five, "Buckle up Zachary and Natalie. We're going to Langendorf Park for a picnic and then for a swim in their great pool."

Natalie, using her best fake cry, sobbed,"I want to swim in The Garlands pool. I like it."

Grandma Rita says, “Our pool is closed for repair. You'll like the Park pool, believe me."

"Ready to launch," shouts Zachary. "All seat belts attached."

Ten minutes later, we parked at the Langendorf. The children ran off to the slides and climbing bars while we prepared a summer picnic: hot dogs, bratwurst, soft drinks and desserts. After lunch, the walking trail helped us work off some of the food.

Langendorf has a wading pool and the main pool. The slides and high jumps excited the grandchildren. Zachary and others made several dozen leaps and slides from the highest points. Natalie, not to be out done, climbed nearly to the top. Sun and activity tired us, ending a wonderful day.

Next day, after church on Sunday, we drove north thirty miles to Volo to see the unusual quaking bogs and then on to the Volo Auto Museum. The children found the bogs a fun playground, although not as exciting as the auto museum. Hundreds of old cars, refurbished like new, sat bumper to bumper for easy inspection. Grandpa saw a 1957 Chevrolet Impala just like the one he had owned. Good for Grandpa, but the grandchildren loved the cars from movies like the Scooby Mobile, Nightrider's Kitt, Flintstones car, Batmobile, etc.

Again, the hours evaporated. We must head home. No time to visit our favorite restaurant Le Vichyssois in Lakemoor suggested by Vette Kell or to the Moraine Hills State Park, site of a glacial moraine in McHenry County that Hal Guenther praises. We will have to wait another day to make these short trips with our family.

Later in the week, Rita said to me, "What a great weekend we had with the grandchildren, now, I've set up a double-treat for us."

"Double-treat, what can that be?"

She responds, "Two visits on Wednesday: the Chicago Botanical Gardens and the show at the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire."

"Oh, that's too much in one day."

"No. It's easy. We drive East on Lake-Cook Road twenty miles to the gardens, have late lunch, see the exhibits and when ready drive fifteen minutes to the theater for a performance at Marriott's Theater-in-the-Round. It worked out just as she planned a great introduction to Chicago's famous gardens and the Marriott's renowned theater.

Musing a bit about our Senior Living Community and its great location, I remembered that the following Sunday The Garlands courtesy limousine would drive us to the Barrington railroad station to take a train to Chicago for the Sunday matinee of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, an hour ride at no charge for seniors.

Location is a real asset to us here at the Garlands!

See Jack, Rita and the Kids below at the Volo Auto Museum.

Labels: active retirement communities, active retirement community, active senior living, Jack and Rita, senior living, upscale retirement community

Houses are selling, at a faster rate than any time in the previous 8 years, according to a new report from the Commerce Department, which tracks an 11% rise in home sales through June 2009. Spurred on by bargain prices, great selections, and unprecedented tax incentives, economists are saying that the real estate market may be turning around.

Have you been waiting for a better market to sell your home in anticipation of moving to The Garlands? Well now may be the time. Be sure to take a close look at your local market, but in the meantime, check out this Daily Herald/ Associated Press article about June's housing rally.

Labels: chicago retirement community, garlands blogger, senior living, senior retirement communities

The Garlands' dining program works like a charm primarily because of its several restaurant options and flexible seating arrangements. Members have great independence to choose when, where and with whom to dine.

The fact is that it is more than an eating plan; it's a "social plus" for the whole community. Most members belong to the plan. The $300 a month for food and drinks is included in the monthly service fee, making it a simple plan that creates great social interaction among the members.

Members call each other to share mealtime together. There is no "picking up the tab" when you invite someone to eat with you--they have their own dining dollars. Members make reservations, when they want to, for a table of two through eight, based on their grouping for the evening. No need for reservations but many choose to do so. The most frequented are the Grill and Winslow restaurants while the Roycroft is our gourmet, special event venue. The Café shop has coffee and tea available during the day and occasional light dinners.

Each member has someone in their household arrange and keep track of dining commitments--a social director. Happy Hours at the Timbers Lounge for the Grill on Mondays and at the Robie Lounge for the Winslow on Wednesdays spur the camaraderie among members before dinner.

We gather, on occasion, at a host's apartment for cocktails, hors-d'oeuvres and great conversation before, and sometimes after dinner. The dining program and happy hours encourage mingling and getting to know each other better.

A fun time is at the end of the month when those who have not spent the entitlement try to cover the minimum. Many buy extra meals for their freezer to eat later. Most of the fun happens when neighbors decide to reach their mark by buying bottles of wine, often happily shared, to help top-off the unspent balance. Our upscale retirement community has a lot going for it, especially the dining program.

Jack Roche

Labels: active retirement communities, active senior living, chicago senior living, Jack and Rita, senior living, senior retirement communities

In part 1 we looked at why balance deteriorates as you age. All too often, as people's balance worsens, they tend to reduce their daily activity level out of a fear of falling. They don't want to do anything that might cause them to fall. However, this only causes more problems. Last time we learned that the activities of your daily life help keep your balance in shape. Therefore, decreasing those activities means that your sense of balance does not get as much use, allowing it to deteriorate further (due to the "use it or lose it" principle).

This can develop into a vicious cycle: Decrease in activity over the years = Balance gets worse = Further decrease in activity out of a fear of falling = Balance gets even worse.

The end result of this cycle is a person who can't walk anywhere without having one hand on something sturdy, like a couch, the wall, a cane, or another person. This is the type of person who will routinely not participate in outings that their family and friends are going on because they think they might fall. Poor balance is now causing a lower quality of life. The problem is, you can't completely quarantine yourself from falling. Even if you don't go out much, and you try to avoid any potentially hazardous situations, life will eventually throw an unexpected scenario at you that will challenge your balance.

If your balance is not used to being challenged, this situation can result in a fall, and it often does. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), for people over sixty-five, falls are the most common cause of injury and the number one reason for admission to the hospital. By now you're probably thinking, "Okay, Mike, I understand that the activities that I used to do were also training my balance, but I can't just go out and start running around like a teenager just so my sense of balance will get some exercise."

You're right. At this point, a lot of those things you used to do might be dangerous for your body. That's why I developed balance exercises, so we could challenge your balance while in a safe environment. That concept is called "Controlled Instability." More on that in Part 4. Stay tuned for Part 3 next month, where we'll discuss traditional senior exercise programs and their impact on balance.

Mike Ross
Author of "The Balance Manual"
balance-exercises.com

Labels: active retirement community, better balance report, Chicago estate planning, Fitness and Activities, Midwest retirement home, senior living, upscale retirement home

Not rain, snow, excessively cold temperatures or even a tightened economy has impacted the progression of the Garlands new Phase II residences. In fact, as of this spring, the shell of the building that will hold these 85 new homes is 80% complete, with the framing of the roof trusses and asphalt shingling soon to follow. Next up: the brick masonry, a signature architectural feature of The Garlands upscale retirement community, will commence throughout the summer.

Meanwhile, the interior designers are working their magic as they weave a careful blend of texture, color and fine finishes to create the casually elegant ambiance our residents and guests love.

Building upon the success of The Garlands initial phase of development, Phase II sets yet a new standard for retirement communities nationwide.
There is no doubt that today's retiree wants . . .

-Bigger residences
-Open floor plans
-Plenty of storage
-And the highest quality

The Garlands offers all this and more. Start planning for your future today. A refundable deposit lets you secure The Garlands Phase II home of your choice while you plan for your move in late 2010.

Call 847-304-1996 to schedule an appointment to review floor plans and pricing options.

Labels: active senior living, Chicago estate planning, Phase II, senior living, senior retirement communities, the garlands

November 11th, Veterans Day, Jill Lund, our activities director, gathered veterans and members together for cake and coffee at the café where we talked about the Greatest Generation and then Jill read a moving tribute to our veterans. Many members joined the celebration reliving personal war stories. The lively and fun time pleased everybody.

Others present at the gathering, belonged to The Greatest Generation through deceased spouses. A widow told of the honor her husband, seaman first class, received when his wish to be buried at sea was fulfilled. He sailed during World War II in the United States Navy and earned medals testifying to duty: Asia-Pacific Campaign, World War II, American Campaign and Occupation Services.

His Urn carefully placed aboard the USS McInerney, a Frigate, for commitment to the sea, sailed from Florida to Maine. Far from land, the Commander slowed the vessel in calm wind and seas, and displayed the colors at half mast. All officers and crew participating wore white dress uniforms to share in the Navy tradition of burying their heroes at sea.

Two officers and a chaplain led the solemn ceremony with dignity and respect. The urn was carried aft, and then the Commanding officer of the vessel ordered the remains committed to the sea and wind. Seven crew members formed the firing squad and shot three rounds saluting the deceased, and then taps sounded mournfully--that day was done.

Later, a package arrived containing his folded American flag, seven spent saluting cartridges, a navigation chart indicating the latitude and longitude of burial, and most cherished--a videotape of the ceremony.

Longitude 40° 01.8' N and latitude 69° 42.7' W will forever mark the location in the great North Atlantic Ocean where our member's husband, an American sailor, was committed to the sea.

Jack Roche

Labels: chicago retirement community, chicago senior living, Jack and Rita, senior living, the garlands, Veterns