Both Lexington Square Senior Living Communities in Lombard and Elmhurst recently hosted their local police departments in presentations about fraud and scams prevalent against seniors.  Detective Ken Lafin, a 26-year veteran of the Elmhurst Police Department who spends his time investigating crimes, warned invited guests about gypsies who are born and raised to learn how to steal. “They and inbred, don’t attend school and are part of large networks that commit non-violent crimes such as the Rouse Burglary, pick pocketing, Grandparent scams and so much more,” said Lafin. He described the ..read more

“I like to be a problem-solver, a fixer. I like to help anyone in need,” said Marina Salazar. Currently the move-in coordinator at Lexington Square Lombard, Marina has been with the senior living community for ten years and has served in several roles during that time. Marina started right after high school, working as a server in Lexington Square’s dining room. “I then began working as an activities aide,” she said. In that capacity, she helped develop and run activities for residents in independent living, assisted living and memory care. She was then promoted to the activities director. “I ..read more

Dorothy Lucas took the bull by the horns.  She decided it was time for her to move into a senior living community and was determined that the decision would be hers.  “My kids were thrilled,” she said, adding, “So was I. I looked at several area communities, and this was just warm and personal. And the beautiful atrium sold me.” Lucas has been a resident of Lexington Square Senior Living Community in Lombard for approximately two years and has loved it.  She said she especially likes the one-bedroom, one-bath Dover model, which has large rooms and closets. “It fits my needs. It ..read more

Today’s seniors are overwhelmingly trusting and polite and because they’re a generation of hard workers, many have accrued good credit and savings.  While these are all impressive attributes, unfortunately they put this demographic at great risk. The FBI reports that millions of older Americans fall victim to some type of financial swindle, known as a ‘scam’.  It’s a shameful and pervasive characteristic of our society. The National Council on Aging estimates that one in 10 Americans ages 60+ experience some type of financial abuse each year. As much as $3 billion is lost each year ..read more

One of the most essential ingredients of healthy eating for seniors is company. Technically, it’s known as ‘communal dining,’ but at Lexington Square Senior Living, we more fittingly refer to it as ‘community dining.’ Communal sounds a bit cold and non-descript, while ‘community’ refers to a group of people with shared interests and values.  And the ‘community’ aspect of shared dining is what makes the practice enjoyable as well as beneficial to seniors. Across many generations and cultures, community dining is more than simply sitting in the same area together while eating. Mealtime is ..read more

As an executive chef, he has all of the best ingredients: literally and figuratively. The regional executive chef of HHS Culinary and Nutrition, Joe Grana, is leading the fine dining program at Lexington Square Senior Living Communities in Elmhurst and Lombard. He brings to the table a passion for all things culinary while boasting an extensive background in various types of dining venues.  Grana has been working professionally in dining for almost 30 years, including in hotels, educational, medical, commercial, and fine dining establishments. He started as a line cook, moving up to supe ..read more

As the old saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words – so in this day of digital photography and camera phones, many of us have the equivalent of millions of words right at our fingertips.  While the technology behind high-quality split-second photos has jumped by leaps and bounds in recent decades, photography itself has a much longer history.  The first photograph was taken nearly 200 years ago by a Frenchman capturing an image of nature. The first commercial photo process, the daguerrotype, flashed into view in 1839 – the same year that the first “selfie” was taken. The fi ..read more

On August 18th, Dan Harrington was back to doing one of the things he loves best.  The Vice President of Senior Living for Lexington Squares Lombard and Elmhurst has been a volunteer with Honor Flight Chicago for 10 years. The not-for-profit organization takes American veterans to Washington D.C. to visit the memorials that honor their service.  Harrington, who has worked in senior living for 20 years, said that several years ago, residents of the communities he managed started sharing their experiences with him when they returned home. He quickly signed on to volunteer. First, in a ..read more

Lassie could always be counted on to run and get help when young Timmy was in trouble – and the trusty collie was so well-loved by the American public that the television program in which she starred was on the air for nearly two decades, making it the fifth-longest-running U.S. primetime series in history. While Lassie and her adventures were based on a novel published in the 1940s, there is nothing fictional about the many wonderful ways animals help people – or the power such stories have to move and inspire us. The A&E show “An Animal Saved My Life” spotlights a different animal hero ..read more

Looking to spruce up your living space without investing a large amount of cash – or time? It may be the perfect opportunity to try out some principles of the ancient practice of feng shui – or the more modern art of decluttering. Feng shui, which translates from the Chinese words for wind and water, entails arranging the various aspects of one’s living space to maximize harmony and balance and achieve a desired outcome such as health, prosperity or good relationships. With so many people spending most of their time at home – which in a number of cases had to double as an office – for much of ..read more