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Residents enjoying new home found in Luther Oaks
By Bridget Flynn
bflynn@pantagraph.com
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BLOOMINGTON -- Joan Kalbacken never had time to learn to how play to bridge because she worked all through college.

But she’s learning now.

Standing in her apartment in the new Luther Oaks retirement community, she pointed to the lamp hanging over her living room table, ready to illuminate the beginner bridge games that are organized by one of her fellow residents.

Her apartment-style continuing care community that is already 50 percent occupied held its grand opening Sunday, with residents, community leaders and Luther Oaks staffers turning out for the festivities.

Kalbacken, secretary of the residents’ association, showed off her apartment to visitors Sunday, pointing out the flat-screen monitor and computer where she writes her children’s books, a dozen of which have been published.

And among the amenities she has close at hand, including a bathroom (her “spa”) and walk-in bathtub that helps alleviate arthritis pain, is a washer and dryer. At her old home, she had to climb a set of stairs to do laundry.

Some residents said Sunday the independence they’ve been able to maintain is the best part about the continuing care community, 601 Lutz Road, Bloomington.

Fred Breuer, president of the residents’ association and organizer of those bridge games, said he was glad he could make the decision to move in himself — instead of having his family make the decision for him later.

Nola Johnson echoed his sentiments, saying she wanted to move in while she was still young enough to enjoy it.

“We made the decision ourselves,” said Johnson, association vice president. “No one made it for us. We like that independence.”

Residents moved in weeks ago

Luther Oaks is run by Lutheran Life Communities, an Arlington Heights-based long-term care provider with nine retirement communities.

The 164,586-square-foot community, which includes more than 140 one- and two-bedroom apartment homes, is adjacent to the church near Greenwood Avenue and Lutz and Hamilton roads. Forty of the apartments are for assisted living, with another 18 memory support units.

Bloomington Mayor Steve Stockon was one of several speakers at Sunday’s official ribbon-cutting ceremony, though the first residents moved in several weeks ago.

“The city of Bloomington very much wants to retain our retired citizens,” he said to the crowd. “We could not operate this city without the volunteer services of our retired citizens.”

He noted the area has many activities to offer residents of Luther Oaks, including three golf courses within a mile of the retirement community.

Inside Luther Oaks, residents have access to a by-appointment beauty salon and barbershop. The community’s fitness center features exercise machines designed specifically for seniors’ core-strengthening needs, said Jim Holbrook, senior vice president of corporate operations at Lutheran Life Communities. And a chapel with a stained-glass window and a piano can also serve as a community room.

Johnson and others said the community’s restaurant-style dining rooms are very popular with residents. Breuer called the food the “best in town.”

And although some questioned the need to serve alcohol along with those meals, Stockton said in his comments to the crowd, city leaders OK’d a liquor license.

“Why not?” he said. “This is a restaurant like any other, and we all enjoy a glass of wine from time to time.”

Take a look
Luther Oak residents Joan Kalbacken, left, and Fred Breuer joked about their card games at the residential retirement facility Sunday afternoon. (Pantagraph/LORI ANN COOK) (November, 04, 2007)
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Reader comments on this story - 13 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

I love Luther Oaks wrote on Nov 8, 2007 7:07 PM:

" Luther Oaks will change the way people look at senior living. One can only hope when we get older the Lutheran Life Community will expand "

Concerned wrote on Nov 6, 2007 2:06 PM:

" Luther Oaks looks good on the outside but the Parent company Luther Life Communities has no Idea what they are doing with a facility like this. The succsess of a retirment community depends on good staff. The staff at Luther Oaks is top notch but they get no support from Luther Life communities. I wish the staff the best. "

Woodford Pundit wrote on Nov 5, 2007 2:45 PM:

" Whoahhh . . . Hold on thaar . . . She WORKED all through college? What a concept! Isn't that, like, ya know, sorta like, ya know . . . evil or somethin'? I mean, heck, I thought that was like, ya know, a civil right to go to school without workin' or, like, a gift from somebody else or sumpin'. "

Harry wrote on Nov 5, 2007 2:07 PM:

" No fine line between the elderly 'Haves and Have nots' is there? "

My mother lives there! wrote on Nov 5, 2007 10:21 AM:

" My mother moved to Luther Oaks last month. I can tell you from first-hand experience that this is a TOP NOTCH community! The staff is wonderful, the food is fantastic, the community is gorgeous...mom is very happy! As for expensive, their financial plan is actually a better long-term plan than we found at any other community in the area (and we shopped around). If anyone is looking for a retirement community for themselves or their parents I would highly recommend that they look into Luther Oaks! "

Serving Drinks???? wrote on Nov 5, 2007 9:36 AM:

" Sure, why not. Senior citizens have lived a full life and deserve to live happy. If that includes having a drink with dinner, so be it. If that includes getting drunk afterwards, so be it. Its their life. They did their time raising the next generation and have made their sacrifices. I would like to buy them all a drink!!!! Let them live and be happy. "

It Makes Me Wonder wrote on Nov 5, 2007 8:10 AM:

" who thinks they are SO PERFECT that they would have thoughts about letting our senior citizens enjoy a glass of wine or scotch and water with their meal. I can only hope that they aren't hypocrites. "

Étudiant de francais wrote on Nov 4, 2007 11:40 PM:

" Bonjour Madame Kalbacken! You were my French teacher at Chiddix. Ca me fait plaisir de savoir que tu vas bien! Ca fait longtemps! "

to luther wrote on Nov 4, 2007 10:50 PM:

" yes it does. care and retirement do have a price, sometimes with attitude from staff. "

Gosh... wrote on Nov 4, 2007 9:39 PM:

" Oh for Pete's sake... Jesus even drank wine! "

Former Student wrote on Nov 4, 2007 9:23 PM:

" Ah, bonjour, Madame Kalbacken! "

This is awsome! wrote on Nov 4, 2007 9:20 PM:

" I wish all retiries could be able to enjoy their senior years happy and healthy!! "

Luther wrote on Nov 4, 2007 9:12 PM:

" I bet it costs a pretty penny to live there. "
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