Monarch Landing Fulfills Promise with Board Approval

When John and Joyce Foulkes decided to move to Monarch Landing, it was with the understanding that their needs would always be met and that they'd be able to remain together. “There's an old joke that ends with the punch line, ‘I'd like to die at 105, shot by a jealous husband.' Not realistic but we're well along the way to 105 and would like to get there happily as a couple as long as possible,” they wrote in a letter to the chairperson of the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board.

Monarch Landing, a senior retirement community in Naperville, introduced its independent living apartments for individuals ages 62 and over six years ago. Now in fulfilling its commitment to provide complete continuing care to seniors, the community is set to begin its next phase of development. The new construction was approved on October 31st by Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board with 10 officials, including the mayor of Naperville speaking in support of the project and 42 Monarch Landing residents in attendance to also show their support. When completed, the new project will include assisted living, memory support, rehabilitation and skilled nursing services to residents and the community-at-large.

The addition to Monarch Landing which was designed by Perkins Eastman Architects will consist of 96 skilled nursing apartments in eight households of 16 units each and 28 assisted living/memory support apartment in two households of 14. Both will be attached to Monarch Landing's independent living apartments through common areas, and will include a department for physical, occupational and speech therapy, a beauty shop and a bistro.

Monarch Landing residents Marge and Edward Karlovsky are currently able to live independently, however are very aware of the fact that this may change. They are grateful that the healthcare addition at Monarch Landing will help them to be prepared for whatever the future holds. “At our age, anything can happen unexpectedly,” Marge said. “We do not want to be separated by long distances if one of us should become ill and have to go into health care outside of our apartment,” they wrote in a letter to the chairperson of the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board.

Renee Garvin, executive director of Monarch Landing said that she is pleased to be able to proceed with the project which will deliver health care services to seniors in a unique, homelike and dignified manner. “Our goal is to enable residents to remain at home (on the Monarch Landing campus, even when additional care is needed. The addition has been designed to be warm and welcoming. Every household has its own country kitchen and living room for socialization,” she said.

Naperville Mayor A. George Pradel is a staunch supporter of Monarch Landing and its commitment to providing continuing care. Prior to the October 31 hearing, Mayor Pradel wrote, in a letter to the chairman of the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board, “I truly believe that the healthcare center at Monarch Landing will be an asset to Naperville and surrounding communities. It will meet the immediate needs of Monarch Landing residents and help fulfill the City's long-term vision of providing outstanding continuing care choices to our seniors.”

AT A GLANCE

• Estimated cost of the skilled nursing facility is $24,426,773

• Project management by ARCH LTD

• Skender Construction will build the healthcare addition which is scheduled for Spring 2014 completion

• Interiors will be designed by Arthur Shuster Interiors

• Rosanova and Whitaker Attorneys were involved in the court proceedings

• Edwards Hospital Medical Group spoke in support of the project

• 100 residents wrote letters in support of the project

Monarch Landing is a maintenance-free retirement community on a scenic 80-acre campus in Naperville, Illinois - named "one of America's best places to live and retire" by Modern Maturity. Monarch Landing is owned by Senior Care Development and managed by Life Care Services. For additional information, visit www.welcometomonarchlanding.com.