Lincolnshire Place, A Memory Care Facility

Grace Mott

Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible, progressive brain disease that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills, and eventually even the ability to carry out the simplest tasks. Researchers have concluded that 10 percent of people over age 65 have Alzheimer’s disease, including nearly 50 percent of people over age 85.

It is estimated that as many as 5.4 million Americans may have Alzheimer’s disease. As our population ages, the disease impacts a greater percentage of Americans. The number of people age 65 and older will more than double between 2010 and 2050 to 88.5 million or 20 percent of the population; likewise, those 85 and older will rise three-fold, to 19 million, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

There are also nearly 15 billion caregivers of those with Alzheimer’s and dementia. If they all lived in a single state, it would be the nation’s fifth largest state. The short video below shows even more of the startling facts on the rise of Alzheimer’s disease in our nation.

I am one of those caretakers. It’s been a trying, difficult, eye-awakening experience. But being the optimist I am, it has also been a true gift, being able to spend this much time with my mother at my age and I’m hoping I have quite a few years left.

Mom lived in Des Plaines and eventually moved into an Independent Living facility there. When time came to move her into Assisted Living I looked all over the Chicagoland area. I found many sterile and unbelievably expensive places out East. My search finally ended right here in DeKalb County.

We are extremely lucky to have one of the best assisted living facilities for Memory Care in the country right here in DeKalb County. Lincolnshire Place in Sycamore is an exceptional living environment combined with highly trained caregivers and Alzheimer’s professionals that allows you to have the peace of mind you need. They say that on their website, and they mean it.

Lincolnshire Place keeps everyone busy with a full schedule of events each day. The events are designed to keep the residents grounded and interacting with others. They get manicures and foot massages every week. They have sing-a-longs and play games that elicit happy responses out of even the most non-communicative. Residents bring in their own furniture so that the transition is much easier and they are instantly more comfortable in their new surroundings. The layout of the building, group meal times, events and a beautiful outdoor courtyard give Lincolnshire Place a very homey feeling.

Many family members and other local people have come to appreciate Lincolnshire Place in the year that they have been open, and now volunteer time there to play music, serve ice cream in their Ice Cream Parlor, work in their Beauty Parlor and help with other events. Friday I was there when they hosted a Community Trick or Treating party, that’s my mom in the picture with Strawberry Shortcake. Nothing makes people smile like kids all dressed up for Halloween. Lincolnshire Place is always looking for other ways to interact with the community if your group is looking for a way to make others smile.

Back to the numbers… with the growth in Alzheimer’s disease, it seems that if your family isn’t dealing with Alzheimer’s disease now, you probably know someone who is. Keep Lincolnshire Place in Sycamore in mind. It’s the easiest endorsement I’ve ever given. 🙂 And watch the video below. The startling numbers make Alzheimer’s disease something we should all be aware of.