Halsted Place

Halsted Place is an independent living community of private apartments on Halsted Road in Farmington Hills, Michigan, where lunch and dinner are served in a skylit dining room with floor-to-ceiling windows. The community is on the smaller side, so residents and the people who work there come to know one another by name, and daily life has the feel of a close neighborhood rather than a large complex, with familiar faces in the hallways and at the tables each day.

Residents choose among four apartment layouts, one with a single bedroom and three with two bedrooms. Each apartment has a full kitchen, a walk-in closet, individual storage, and heating and air conditioning that the resident controls. Floors combine wall-to-wall carpet with wood, and sound-controlled insulation helps keep each home quiet. Emergency pull cords in the bedrooms and bathrooms and safety rails in the bathrooms add reassurance without changing the independent character of the home.

Three meals a day are included in the monthly rent, and a simple continental breakfast is set out in the activity room for early risers, while lunch and dinner are served restaurant style by wait staff who present menus that change daily with several choices at each meal. A weekly specials menu adds variety, the kitchen can accommodate a range of dietary needs, and residents have assigned seats in the dining room, which also gives staff a natural daily check on how everyone is doing from one day to the next.

Holiday meals, parties, guest dining, and room service trays round out the dining program. Housekeeping and upkeep are handled for residents, so the week is free for other things. Apartments are cleaned weekly, linens are changed weekly, towels and trash are collected twice a week, and a personal laundry service is available, along with maintenance of the apartments and grounds. Residents manage their own personal care, and outside providers such as home care, hearing services, and health care professionals are welcome to visit, while a doctor's office in the building also hosts visiting health services.

The shared spaces give the days their rhythm, and among them are a fitness center and a daily exercise class, a billiard and gaming room, a barbershop and salon, laundry facilities, a spacious lobby for reading, and an outdoor patio and garden for fresh air. Free Wi-Fi and covered parking make it easier for residents and visiting family to settle in and stay connected, and the lobby offers a comfortable place to greet guests or simply watch the comings and goings of the day.

Residents who prefer a quiet afternoon can read in the lobby or step out to the garden, while those who enjoy company can drop into the billiard room for a game with neighbors. The activity calendar mixes quiet and social pursuits, including bingo, card games, trivia, puzzles, crafts, painting, flower arranging, music performances, film screenings, and wine and cheese gatherings. Scripture study, rosary and Communion, and Mass and Sabbath services are offered for residents who value them, and a monthly out-to-lunch trip and weekly shopping trips on the community bus keep residents connected to the wider area.

Scheduled transportation means that errands do not depend on a family member's availability. Safety is built into the building through smoke detectors, a fire suppression system, well-lit hallways, and a twenty-four-hour emergency response system provided through an outside company. Management is on site, which helps residents and families know exactly who to ask whenever a question comes up, and which keeps day-to-day decisions close to the people they affect.

Farmington Hills is an established suburb in Oakland County, with shopping, restaurants, and services within a short drive of the community. Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital, about 2 miles away, is the nearest hospital for routine and urgent medical care, which gives families added comfort. A virtual tour is available on the community's website for families who want a first look at the apartments before visiting in person.