By Alexander Germanis
It’s no secret the cost of living has gone up dramatically in the last few years. Any visit to the grocery store or paying just about any bill reflects this economic swing.
Most people, unfortunately, cannot just look the other way when it comes to increasing costs. Many seniors, especially, live on fixed incomes, so being able to live somewhere they can breathe easy especially while prices rise is a blessing.
Enter Cedars of Lebanon Apartments in Peoria. Nestled among the woods on Emily Place off of Farmington Road, Cedars of Lebanon is income based senior living that gives its residents economic peace of mind in an otherwise unsettling economic time.
Meant to Be
It is sometimes only years after living through a journey that we tend to notice how things must have lined up in order to put us where we are. No amount of planning can keep things that are meant to be from unfolding.
This is how it was with Cedars of Lebanon Property Manager Theresa Walters. Starting in 1990, she, by her own admission, “sort of fell into” senior care. Starting as a caretaker at a senior citizen retirement complex, she jumped at an assistant manager position, not at all convinced she would get it.
“Luck was on my side, and I was hired,” Theresa recalls. Thus, a career she fell into embraced and propelled her upward.
Fast forward a few decades and now Theresa manages Cedars of Lebanon, joined and aided by Tony Chaiaravalle, a maintenance supervisor with 31 years of experience and Angela Mendoza, a resident service coordinator with another 15 years under her belt. With more experience in senior care than most seniors experience actually being seniors, the residents of Cedars of Lebanon are in good hands.
For many, being a resident of Cedars of Lebanon is also meant to be. Not every senior can afford the high-priced senior communities dotting the landscape and, therefore, can find it extremely difficult to find a place where they can feel safe and still enjoy the years of their retirement.
Theresa explains how a person may qualify as a resident at Cedars of Lebanon: “Those who are 62 years of age and older or 18 years of age or older with a disability (mobility impaired), which would necessitate the features of our accessible units can live here,” she begins. “Rent is approximately 30 percent of your total monthly gross income.”
But instead of the high income necessary to live in many other communities, Cedars of Lebanon has an income cap. “Our current 2024 income limits are that one person cannot exceed $51,600 income per year and two persons cannot exceed $59,000 per year. This includes gross income and assets, with updates each year.”
Life Worth Living
Although the cost of living is carefully controlled at Cedars of Lebanon, that does not mean living itself is less enjoyable. There seems to be no end to the variety of activities the staff organizes and plans for the residents.
“We have bingo, a chili cook-off (the residents thrive for bingo and the cook off), crafts, educational presentations, and a bread pantry,” Theresa says.
When the chili cook-off is not yet on the horizon, residents also enjoy regular cookouts as well. And should residents feel the urge to follow a cookout with a good dessert, there are plans this year for something that should satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth. “The Ice Cream Social is new this year and we expect it to be a real hit,” Theresa shares.
Ice cream socials won’t be the end to new activities, either. Theresa assures space has already been set aside for future recreation.
Of course, the staff have not forgotten the recreation, emotional support, and companionship that can be provided by a loving pet. That is why Cedars of Lebanon Apartments will always be a pet-friendly place to live.
More to Offer
Cedars of Lebanon offers three distinctive layout choices for their apartments, with one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and mobility-accessible options.
The one-bedroom apartment features a living/dining room, bedroom, full bath, kitchen, and balcony. The two-bedroom includes everything the single unit has but boasts a slightly larger master bedroom with a smaller second bedroom.
The 16 mobility-accessible apartments do not skimp on any of the amenities of the one-bedroom units, but navigation throughout the living space is easier to manage, with appropriate safety measures installed throughout.
All residents can enjoy comfort and safety, regardless of the unit in which they live. “There’s an emergency alarm system located in each unit,” Theresa outlines, “with individually controlled heat, an air conditioner, a refrigerator, and electric range in each unit. New carpeting and vinyl flooring are also installed prior to moving in. There are also grab rails for a sense of security and safety, smoke alarms, sprinklers, and elevators.”
Cedars of Lebanon also offers coin-operated washers and dryers. Water, sewer, and trash pickup are included in rent. There are also non-assigned off-street parking spaces available for residents and their guests.
Should residents not wish to or are unable to drive to the grocery store, a van will transport them to a designated store once a week.
Watching over all of this are the aforementioned full-time manager, full-time site caretaker, a full-time resident service coordinator, and an after-hours answering service for maintenance emergencies.
A Cut Above
Although near the heart of a city, Cedars of Lebanon rises above the river valley in a country-like setting, enveloped in wooded arms and the neighboring wildlife. But its location is not the only thing that sets it apart.
“It’s a warm and friendly environment,” Theresa declares. “We take pride in what we do here at Cedars of Lebanon Apartments. It shows with the total combined experience of staff.”
That caring staff shoulders the burdens of the world, handling upkeep, snow removal, lawn care, and more in order to remove the mundane worries of life for their residents. “We all want you to be able to move in and enjoy life,” Theresa concludes. “We want to make this a forever place for all to live.”
Cedars of Lebanon Apartments is located at 1047 North Emily Place in Peoria, Illinois. It stands at the top of the hill, behind the ITOO Hall. If you would like to tour our apartments or would like to learn more about what we have to offer you or a loved one, please contact us at (309) 673-0917 or visit us on the web at www.cedars-lebanon.com.
