For Dan Jares, becoming a resident at Beacon Hill senior living community in Lombard, Illinois, has not meant retiring from teaching. It simply meant finding some new classrooms.
These days, some of those classrooms are the streets and neighborhoods of Chicago, where Dan serves as a docen t for the Chicago Architecture Center, leading neighborhood tours and exploring the exteriors of Frank Lloyd Wright homes in Oak Park. He calls himself an “open air teacher.”
It is a fitting description for someone who has spent much of his life teaching and learning. Dan taught high school in Addison, before teaching future educators at Elmhurst University. Now, as a resident of Beacon Hill senior living community in Lombard, he continues to share what he knows, discover what he does not, and find ways to make life better for the people and places around him.
Choosing Community
Dan has lived in the Lombard area for more than 30 years, including two years at Beacon Hill. His decision to move to a senior living community came after watching his brother experience a series of health challenges without a plan for what might come next.
The experience prompted Dan to think about his own future.
“I wanted to take more agency over my future,” he said. “I hadn’t really thought about it before.”
He toured several communities and knew he wanted the Life Plan Community, where he would have access to increased levels of care should his needs change. What ultimately drew him to Beacon Hill was not a particular feature or amenity. It was the people.
“While I was on tours, people were extremely friendly and hospitable,” Dan said. He already knew some Beacon Hill residents, and his longtime friendships and church community were nearby. But ultimately, he said, “it was really the residents.”
One piece of advice from a sales director stayed with him: Visit communities, notice what feels similar and different, and choose the place where you feel the most comfortable and have the strongest sense of community.
Two years later, Dan says his experience has been great.
A Teacher at Heart
Teaching may be part of Dan’s professional history, but learning has never been something he left behind.
At Beacon Hill, he has found plenty of opportunities to stay curious and involved. He enjoys the community’s live music, lectures, interactive programs, movies and Active Minds virtual lectures. Drawing on his experience with the Chicago Architecture Center, he organized a tour for Beacon Hill residents that included Chicago’s Pullman community and historic Pullman National Historical Park.
He also serves as a wing leader, helping share information with residents on his floor, bring feedback to the Resident Council and welcome new residents.
Social Justice
“I enjoy learning, and reading,” Dan said. “I’m passionate about social justice issues.”
That passion has been part of his life for decades. He has been active at First Church Lombard UCC since 1971, where he sings in the choir, plays in the handbell choir, gardens, helps lead the church’s 175th anniversary celebration and participates in its social justice ministry.
The ministry works to raise awareness within the congregation and create opportunities for people who want to become involved in human rights initiatives.
Finding Ways to Help
Whether he is at Beacon Hill, his church or somewhere in the community, Dan seems to naturally look for ways to contribute.
At Beacon Hill, he is a member of the Sustainability Committee, where he helps raise awareness about recycling, reusable bags and other environmentally conscious practices. He even takes electronics to York Township’s electronic recycling site.
He also serves on the Grounds and Landscaping Committee, where he says the group introduced “wonderful new things” this year.
And he volunteers with residents in the Beacon Hill health care center, sometimes pushing wheelchairs so residents can attend concerts and programs.
“I like doing that,” he said. “It’s rewarding.”
His commitment to helping others extends beyond Beacon Hill. Dan has participated in the Crop Hunger Walk for years, supporting efforts that benefit area food pantries and Outreach House. This year, Beacon Hill is bringing the effort home with a walk around the community’s pond.
He is also supports the Lifespace Foundation, which provides scholarships and opportunities to recognize and support team members.
“It’s a wonderful way to show team member appreciation and provide scholarships,” Dan said. “As residents, we’re able to thank and support the team. They’re absolutely marvelous.”
Still Exploring
Perhaps the best evidence that Dan has never stopped learning is found in his passport.
After moving to Beacon Hill, he decided it was time to do some of the traveling he had been putting off. He has participated in Road Scholar programs, including one focused on the Civil Rights Movement in Alabama and Georgia. He has visited Iceland, Spain and the Czech Republic, attended a hot air balloon festival in Santa Fe and is preparing for a trip to Egypt.
It is another expression of the curiosity that has guided him throughout his life.
Dan is a teacher, volunteer, musician, gardener, tour guide and lifelong learner. At Beacon Hill, he has found a community where all of those interests have room to grow, and where there are always new people to meet, new things to learn and new ways to make a difference.
Beacon Hill
Beacon Hill is a senior living community in Lombard offering spacious, well-designed residences and a range of services that support independent, maintenance-free living for older adults. As a Life Care Community—formerly known as a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC)—Beacon Hill provides a continuum of care, including independent living with access to higher levels of support. The community is owned and operated by Lifespace Communities, a non-profit organization with nearly five decades of experience in senior living. For more information, call 630-620-5850 or visit www.BeaconHillLombard.com
