171 Independent Living near Facilities Oak Park, IL. Page 6

Independent Living

For seniors who would like to live primarily without assistance but wish for the assistance of having housekeeping taken care of by professionalls, an Independent Living Community may be the perfect fit. Food preparation, leisure activities and housekeeping chores are handled while you are able to use your time as you prefer. Along with their daily needs being met, residents can enjoy the opportunity to live among peers, in a community with others of similar age groups and backgrounds. Typically comprised of a private living space and a full kitchen, these communities offer homes with many of the amenities of apartment life but without the hassle. Guests can be invited over and entertained, and there will be more time to spend with them with the basic maintenance of daily chores out of the way. While policies differ between communities, many residences allow pets as well. If medical or nursing assistance is desired, residents may always utilize the services of independent care providers. There are an assortment of advantages and costs to balance while deciding on an independent living community. It is important to determine if these services are covered in your care plan: transportation, internet access, laundry, private phone, initial assessment fee, parking, cable TV, and utilities. The benefits associated with independent living include beauty salon & barber shop, healthcare center, game/TV room, transportation, laundry service, concierge services, golf course, and security guards.

Demographics and Values

Of the population of Oak Park 68.8% have a college degree, 38.4% have a graduate degree, and 9.4% have a high-school diploma. Racially, the population of Oak Park is 19.8% black, 7.7% Hispanic, 4.6% mixed race, 2.3% other or not specified, 0.1% Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian, 0.0% Native American, 68.6% white, and 4.5% Asian. In Oak Park, 71.4% participate in the labor force, 9.0% have some form of disability, 4.6% do not have health insurance, and 8.3% live in poverty. Out of the total city population, 52.2% are female and 47.8% are male. The median age of Oak Park is 39 years old. Oak Park has a population density of 4,293 people per square mile. Currently, the population of Oak Park consists of 52,261 people. In Oak Park, 4.8% of the people are veterans.

Cost of Living

Senior living community price is determined by the neighborhood where it is located. Monthly, the median cost of rent in Oak Park is $2,158 per month and the median home value in Oak Park is $367,139. The rent burden for Oak Park is about 19.7% of the average person’s monthly income.

State Information

An overview of Illinois

Out of a national average of 100, Illinois has a cost of living index rating of 96, a grocery index rating of 94, and a housing index rating of 87. In terms of personal well-being, Illinois ranks 22nd in healthcare and 35th in quality of life compared to other states. The state of Illinois has 199 hospitals and 383 health centers, providing care to a population of 12,696,123. The three highest ranked hospitals in Illinois are Sherman Hospital, Sam Health St. Mary’s Hospital – Centralia, and And Midwestern Region Medical Center. Based on natural beauty, Illinois ranks 43rd in the nation.

Social demographics of the state

In Illinois, 29% of the population is over the age of 55. The median age in the state is 38. In the most recent presidential election, 39% of Illinois residents voted Republican and 56% voted Democrat. The state of Illinois ranks 10th in the country for diversity, and the state is considered LGBTQ friendly. Thirty-four percent of Illinois residents regularly attend a religious service from one of the state’s 12,453 different congregations. The top three non-Christian denominations in the state are Jewish-2%, Muslim-<1%, and Buddhist-<1%, with the most common Christian denominations consisting of Evangelical Protestant-20%, Mainline Protestant-16%, and Historically Black Protestant-7%. In Illinois there are 518 masonic lodges.

State-wide weather information

The average monthly precipitation for the state of Illinois is around 3.33 inches. The most precipitation occurs in May with an average of 6.02 inches of precipitation a month. On average, the humidity rating for Illinois is around 71%. The highest monthly average humidity rating is 78% in the month of December. On average, Illinois has an air quality index rating of around 37.7 AQI. The average air quality index rating peaks in the month of May with a rating of around 54.5 AQI. The average temperature in the winter falls to around 28F. During the winter, the average high temperature peaks at around 49F during the month of February. The average low temperature during the winter drops to around 10F in the month of January. During the summer, the average temperature in Illinois is around 73F. The average high summer temperature is around 91F in the month of July. The average low summer temperature is around 53F in the month of June. While residents of Illinois mostly enjoy pleasant conditions, it’s important to be aware of inclement weather as well, which in Illinois can include floods, earthquakes (moderate), and and tornadoes.

Wildlife to be found in Illinois

The state of Illinois has a diverse array of plant and animal life. Local plant life can consist of black eyedSusan, angelica, viola pedata, and aromatic aster. While venturing throughout the state, you might see animals such as the big brown bat, the cougar, the coyote, or the eastern red bat. The state animal of Illinois is the white-tailed deer.