Work begins on Huntley memory care apartments

Workers broke ground Tuesday on a $5 million expansion project at Heritage Woods of Huntley.

The assisted-living community, at 12450 Regency Parkway, currently serves adults 62 and older with 72 studio and one-bedroom apartments rented on a monthly basis. The expansion includes 30 memory care and nine assisted-living apartments, which will be completed next spring.

The memory care apartments - named White Oaks at Heritage Woods of Huntley - will cater to older adults with Alzheimer's disease or related dementia, helping residents maintain a sense of purpose and belonging, according to a news release.

"We focus on abilities rather than limitations because we understand that as we age our heart's hopes and desires do not," said Rod Burkett, CEO of Gardant Management Company, which oversees day-to-day operations for the community.

The nearly 31,000-square-foot addition completes the master plan for the four-acre site that opened in 2009. Each of the private apartments will feature a bathroom with shower and grab bars, individually-controlled heating and air conditioning units, and an emergency alert system. White Oaks also will have communal areas, including a dining room, atrium and salon.

Certified nursing assistants, working under the direction of a licensed nurse, will be on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week, per the news release.

When fully occupied, the Heritage Woods campus will provide 50 full-time jobs.

Heritage Woods is among more than 40 communities operated by Gardant Management Solutions, including Deer Path of Huntley, which serves adults 22 to 64 with physical disabilities, and two other memory care communities - White Oaks at Spring Street and White Oaks at Heritage Woods of South Elgin.