1. Assisted Living facilities in Southern Illinois listed by county.
2. Assisted Living facilities elsewhere in Illinois.
3. How to choose an Assisted Living facility
4. Illinois Law, Rules & Regulations on the Assisted Living and Shared Housing Act
5. Emergency housing (click on the county where housing is needed)
6. Homeless Shelter Hotline
7. Housing by County (southern Illinois)
8. Housing discrimination complaint
9. Housing Information
10. Illinois Housing Search
11. Section 8 Housing Rent Assistance
12. Section 8 and Other Subsidized Housing
13. Supportive Living Facilities

There really is no place like home. When asked about their preference for housing, most seniors answer, "What l would really like to do is to stay right here." A home represents security and independence to most Americans.

Most housing, however, are designed for young, active and mobile people. To live at home, a person must, at the very least, have access to transportation, go shopping, cook, and do household chores. Many of us will lose one or more of these abilities as we grow older.

Assistive technology devices can help to improve or maintain the mobility of an individual. They can be as simple as devices to help open jars, to walkers, wheelchairs, and stairway chairlifts.

When money is a problem, a home owner can use the equity in their home for a reverse mortgage, a special type of home loan that lets a homeowner convert a portion of the equity in his or her home into cash. But unlike a traditional loan, no repayment is required until the borrowers no longer use the home as their principal residence. However, consumer counseling is required before a lender can grant this type of loan.

Another option is to hire workers to cut your grass, wash your windows, cook your meals, do the shopping, and even provide personal care. However, this can be expensive and will require a lot of management and coordination.

For people willing to relocate, there are plenty of options, although there may be some confusion about what all the terms mean.

Independent living facilities are not licensed or inspected. They offer private rental rooms or apartments with varying amounts of service (meals, homemakers, etc.) within the facility for an additional fee or as part of the monthly rental amount.

Assisted living are licensed and inspected facilities that can be either private pay or government subsidized rental apartments which provide service (meals, 24 hour supervision, etc.) within the facility. Supportive living facilities are the government subsidized version of assisted living in Illinois.

Continuing care retirement communities are usually large campuses that include separate housing for those who live very independently, assisted living facilities that offer more support, and nursing homes for those needing skilled nursing care.

For more information, contact your local senior center, the Case Management agency, or Contact the Egyptian AAA.