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."