ent parts of the grounds. There is also a private garage for every resident. “That’s very rare for senior housing,” says Zaubi. “In fact it’s extraordinary – but we don’t want them out there trying to shovel snow off their cars.”
Seasons Under the Oaks does have services available if and when they are ever needed but there are no charges unless they are used, according to Zaubi. For instance, MCL Cafeteria delivers meals-to-order here daily and some residents place an order every day, while others only order when their favorites appear on the rotating menu or if they are not feeling up to making their own lunch that day.
Every apartment at Seasons Under the Oaks has its own furnace, water heater and air conditioner. “It’s just like your home – nobody uses up your hot water, nobody adjusts your thermostat,” says Zaubi. Each two-bedroom apartment has its own patio and everything in each unit is ADA compliant and is always being tweaked to improve the living experience. “With everybody that’s ever lived here, I ask, what can we do different to make it more userfriendly?” Utilities, parties, activities and garbage collection are all included in the basic price – pretty much everything except for cable and phone.
Zaubi stresses that the services he provides are not strictly to benefit residents but also to take pressure off their adult children. Instead of seniors being a cause of stress, they can have their needs tended to and only spend quality time with their children, who are often overwhelmed by the requirements of taking care of their parents. “Unless you’re immersed in it you don’t have a clue and by then it’s usually a panic,” observes Zaubi. The lower limit on age at Seasons is 62. “It’s pretty arbitrary but we hold to that standard not for any particular reason other than we want people to live among their peers so they can relate to one another.”
Seasons Under the Oaks, along with its sister facility,
Seasons at Pine Creek, are in the business of smashing stereotypes about
senior living. “What a lot of people have in their mind is a nursing
home where you go to die – and this is a totally different environment,”
says Zaubi. “My people are still going on safari or they’re in Florida
or Arizona for the winter. They use this as a place to reconnect and
revitalize because of the friendships and the activities. I’ve heard
people exclaim, ‘This is like a resort!’” For one thing, Seasons doesn’t
have that “hospital-ish” smell people associate with nursing homes.
“Those places are right for some people at a certain point in their
life, but I’ve got a lady 100 years old in here. She goes to her boat
twice a week, plays bingo four times a week and when the conga line
starts, she’s leading the damn thing!”
Contact Scott Faingold at sfaingold@ illinoistimes.com.
Resident testimonial
Marie
Fiaush, resident since 2009: “When we found out my husband was not
going to live long, my son said we should put my name in. They opened on
May 1, 2009. I moved in on May 9, and was maybe the sixth or seventh
resident. I love this place. They told us they leave the lights on 24/7,
and that everything is locked at night. Well, I really didn’t believe
them so I got up the first night and I thought, ‘I’m gonna see if the
lights are on.’ The place was lit up like a Christmas tree. They just
treat you like you’re the only one in the world. I love playing bingo
and the holiday dinners. I also love the Wii bowling and I usually bowl
over 200. It’s fun to come down to coffee in the morning and then play
cards at night, dominoes. They just couldn’t be nicer to you here. It’s
very safe and as you get older that’s what you want. I really could not
imagine living anywhere else. I just love it. The only way I’m gonna
leave here is if they carry me out.”
