Assisted Living

BMA Management, Ltd., opened its first assisted living community in Lake County, Illinois on Oct. 19, 2012.
 
The Heritage Woods of Gurnee affordable assisted living community is certified to operate through the Illinois Supportive Living program, which enables the community to serve adults 65 and older of all incomes, including those on Medicaid.
 
The three-story building houses 105 private studio and one-bedroom apartments. 
 
Developing Heritage Woods was “all about the opportunity to meet the needs of older adults and their families, particularly the need in the Gurnee and Waukegan area for assisted living for low-income older adults,” said Stephen Barron, President of Barron Development, LLC, of Chicago, Illinois, the developer of Heritage Woods of Gurnee.
 
Residents of the affordable assisted living community benefit from the opportunity to live in a residential-style environment and receive personal assistance, help with medications and support services they need to help maintain their independence.
 
Among those moving into Heritage Woods of Gurnee is Virginia Elsbury. She has lived in the Village of Gurnee for most of her life and worked for the Gurnee School District 56 for 40 years. At 84 years of age, she is visually impaired. Moving to Heritage Woods “enables me to stay in Gurnee,” she says. She adds that “I have never met a nicer group of caregivers than I met there. They are very passionate about taking care of seniors.”   
 
Affordable assisted living communities such as Heritage Woods offer older adults “a wonderful alternative to a nursing home or to struggling alone at home,” says Rod Burkett, President and CEO of BMA Management. “Our focus is on providing residents with the love, compassion and dignity they deserve in addition to the care and personal assistance they need. Our emphasis is on helping each resident achieve and maintain as much independence as possible for as long as possible.”
 
Certified nursing assistants are on-duty at Heritage Woods of Gurnee 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Three meals a day, housekeeping and laundry are among the included services.
 
Each of the apartments at Heritage Woods features a kitchenette; spacious bathroom with a handicap accessible shower and grab bars; and an emergency alert system.
 
A variety of community areas are available, including an Activity Room, Beauty/Barber Salon, Country Store, Dining Room, Private Dining Room, Exercise Room, Fireplace Lounge, Library and TV Room.
 
Among those on hand for the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony that marked the completion of construction of Heritage Woods were William Malleris, Board Member of the Illinois Housing Development Authority; Brad Jenks, Chairman of the Gurnee Chamber of Commerce; Cheryl Ross, Trustee of the Village of Gurnee; and Wayne Smallwood, Executive Director of the Affordable Assisted Living Coalition.
 
Heritage Woods of Gurnee is located at 3775 Grand Ave. in Gurnee, Illinois, near the intersection of Grand Ave. and Hwy. 41.
 
The community was designed by Worn Jerabek Architects, PC, of Chicago, Illinois. Horve Builders of Forysth, Illinois, served as the General Contractor.
 
More than $8 million in financing for the $20.3 million development was provided through Low Income Housing Tax Credits allocated by the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) and purchased by the National Equity Fund and the Build America Fund. In addition, the Builders ProLoan Fund, LLC, on behalf of the Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters, provided $11.5 million in funding through a FHA-insured mortgage that was originated by Draper & Kramer Commercial Mortgage Corporation.
 
With the opening of Heritage Woods of Gurnee, there now are 138 Supportive Living communities in operation in more than 70 Counties located throughout Illinois. Together, they house more than 10,850 apartments.
 
BMA Management now manages 36 senior living communities, housing more than 3,300 homes and apartments. Thirty-four of the communities operate through the Illinois Supportive Living program.
 
For more information about Heritage Woods of Gurnee, call 847-623-6300 or go to the community’s website at http://www.bma-mgmt.com/heritagewoodsgurnee/

For more pictures of Heritage Woods of Gurnee & the Grand Opening, click here.

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