When families search for senior living, Illinois is often at the top of the list — and for good reason.
People often say Illinois is a small version of the United States as a whole, meaning the state has a little bit of everything the country has to offer. With mostly moderate weather, plus plenty of farmland and rural towns to go along with its mid-size industrial cities and Chicago — the third-largest city in the U.S. — Illinois is a uniquely desirable retirement destination. It’s the quintessential Midwestern state, bordering the Mississippi River in the west, the Ohio River in the east, and Lake Michigan in the north. The “Land of Lincoln” also has a rich political history: Other than Honest Abe, several other U.S. presidents have called Illinois home, including Ulysses S. Grant, Ronald Reagan, and Barack Obama.
Currently, A Place for Mom partners with more than 360 independent living communities, sometimes simply called retirement communities, in Illinois.
The median monthly cost of independent living in Illinois is about $2,300.
I really like living at Fox river Horizon. There are plenty of activities, it is a very independent and friendly place. I do wish my bedroom and kitchen were a bit bigger in my apartment.
The facility is beautiful and clean. Very up to date and modern. Every inch has been recently renovated and looks like a copy try club. The staff is super friendly and helpful. My mom feels known and taken...
Despite my living in an apartment in Independent Living, I see the excellent care of others who are more impaired. I would absolutely recommend Brookdale Northbrook to other families!
I would recommend to others - it's a lovely facility. It's a beautiful facility that we felt good about having our mom in. Also great restaurant and food selections.
Sunrise of Schaumburg provided very good care of my mom for her short stay there ([date removed]). They had plenty of activities for the residents and the facilities were clean , modern, and well equipped....
I really like living at Fox river Horizon. There are plenty of activities, it is a very independent and friendly place. I do wish my bedroom and kitchen were a bit bigger in my apartment.
Mercy Circle was wonderful. My dad was able to heal with support kindness and support. We highly recommend Mercy Circle to everyone.
The entire staff here are very kind honest amazing and the most important things to me about the staff is that they works together as a team in unity. And they very very professional.
At Brookdale Lake Shore Drive, we found a very complete package of retirement and active living, well explained by the sales manager that resulted in our immediate decision move in. We're looking forward to...
The resident facility is really quite impressive. There is a huge emphasis on quality care to both residents and visitors. The level of customer service provided and cleanliness are second to none. I...
Before I came here I was staying with my 2 sons and the only friends I had was their friends. It is nice here because now I have friends my age and we do thing that are interesting for my age and I have no...
Mercy Circle was wonderful. My dad was able to heal with support kindness and support. We highly recommend Mercy Circle to everyone.
I didn't actually eat any of the food but it smelled good the couple of times I was there. My aunt could be very difficult and the story point staff was more than accommodating and was very helpful with her....
My only frustration with this facility was the therapy staff that works in their building. They did not accommodate to the residents needs, often just showing up without warning. The facility does not use...
What I like most about the community is they go out of their way to make the new resident comfortable and get acclimated to the new environment.
Illinois independent living facilities are not regulated by a state agency, so they must follow tenant and rental laws set forth by the Office of the Illinois Attorney General. However, if an independent living facility shares a campus with an assisted living facility then the assisted living unit must follow Illinois assisted living requirements.
In Illinois, independent living landlords or property managers must provide residents safe and livable conditions. Landlord responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:[01]
As a renter at an Illinois independent living facility, you also have obligations you need to meet in order to continue renting:[01]
Independent living facilities must comply with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) just like any other rental community in Illinois. This includes protecting residents with disabilities from discrimination and offering reasonable accommodations and modifications to allow them the same rights as each resident.
Reasonable accommodations include adjusting community policies so that residents with disabilities can participate in any on-site activities or amenities. Some accommodations that landlords must provide include the following:[02]
Reasonable modifications include making changes to a resident’s unit and/or property for easier access for disabled residents. Modifications may include the following:[02]
In Illinois, independent living property owners must may for these modifications, rather than the residents with disabilities, unless it poses an undue financial burden.[02]
Illinois Department of Public Health Chicago Headquarters Offices
122 S. Michigan Ave., 7th and 20th floors
Chicago, IL 60603
Phone: 312-814-2793
69 W. Washington St., 35th floor
Chicago, IL 60602
Phone: 312-814-5278
Let our care assessment guide you
Our free tool provides options, advice, and next steps based on your unique situation.
The Illinois Department of Human Services handles housing and rental services. They currently do not publish any inspection or violation reports for any rentals, including independent living facilities. To request specific inspection information, you can try contacting the IDHS helpline at 1-800-843-6154.
Illinois Attorney General. (2024, January). Landlord and tenant rights and laws.
Illinois Department of Human Rights. (2020). Reasonable accommodations and modifications: a guide for housing professionals.
The information contained on this page is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute medical, legal or financial advice or create a professional relationship between A Place for Mom and the reader. Always seek the advice of your health care provider, attorney or financial advisor with respect to any particular matter, and do not act or refrain from acting on the basis of anything you have read on this site. Links to third-party websites are only for the convenience of the reader; A Place for Mom does not endorse the contents of the third-party sites.
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