Sunnymere sits on over 7 acres right by Phillips Park Golf Course in Aurora, Illinois, with plenty of outdoor patios, gardens, and scenic views from almost every window you find, and that beautiful green stretch out there just kind of softens every day. The building, which opened back in 1939 as 'The Old Ladies' Home of Aurora,' really shows its age in a charming way with high ceilings, hardwood floors, and rustic, Colonial-revival brickwork, and you'll find antique furniture, covered verandas, and screened-in porches just about everywhere. Sunnymere runs as a nonprofit and keeps a family feel with room for no more than 47 residents, so people tend to recognize each other in the hallways and around the big gathering spaces, where there's always a story or two being told.
Sunnymere gives folks choices, with semi-private, studio, single rooms, one-room, and two-room suites-couples can stay together here, and there are two-bedroom apartments also, with closets and individual climate controls. Residents have cable and internet already wired in, and covered guest parking's available too, so family and friends can come for visits-there's even a spot for an overnight guest to stay. Meals are served three times a day family-style in a communal dining room, which means everybody has someone to sit with, and you won't have to worry about cooking. Staff does the chores five days a week, handling laundry and fresh linens, and there are all sorts of gathering areas indoors too, including a Great Room for meetings and activities, a recreation room, a gym, and a covered patio for when the weather's good.
Retired seniors 65 and older, whether still living fully on their own or needing a hand now and then, find support here from a caring staff and an Executive Director who's a registered nurse. Nurses, physical and occupational therapists, speech therapists, and podiatrists visit regularly, while a part-time nurse is onsite for health monitoring. Residents with light or medium care needs-like needing reminders to take medicines, help with bathing, dressing, toileting, grooming, or help moving from bed to wheelchair-get personal support any time of the day or night. The staff responds to emergencies 24/7, and memory care for those with Alzheimer's or dementia provides extra security to help prevent wandering and reduce confusion. Incontinence care and diabetic support-where people still must handle their own testing and insulin-are available for those who need it.
People who enjoy activities will find quite a few choices: gardening groups meet outside, there are arts and crafts, book clubs, lectures, educational programs, story times, and special seasonal and holiday events. Regular things like ice cream socials, movie nights, lunch outings, and game nights keep the calendar full, and if you want to stretch your legs, there's transportation to shopping or doctors' appointments. Sunnymere lets you bring a pet, though there are some rules, but if you prefer not to live with animals, you can get a pet-free setup too.
There's a beauty salon and barber services, and folks can get haircuts on-site, especially Thursdays and Fridays when the beautician's in. Spiritual life is part of things here, with religious and devotional services. Each resident gets space to relax, watch the big screen TV or Wii, or join one of the many discussion groups, and newsletters and activity calendars keep people in the loop. The nonprofit community keeps prices all-inclusive, so you don't pay extra for meals, laundry, housekeeping, or activities, you just pay the rent, there's no buy-in or lease. The board of directors, made up of volunteers from the local area, oversees everything, and they focus on running things according to Sunnymere's mission-to make life comfortable, safe, and interesting for seniors, whether they need just a little help or want community living with a touch of rustic charm.
