Park at Franklin

Park at Franklin is an independent living community on Franklin Road in Southfield, Michigan, where adults live in their own apartments and share a library, a creative arts studio, a bistro lounge and a central fireplace with their neighbors. The setting is an intimate senior campus, so familiar faces in the dining room and the hallways are part of an ordinary day. Apartments come in one-bedroom and two-bedroom layouts, and each has a living room, a bathroom and a kitchen area where residents can prepare their own food whenever they like.

Some apartments are on the ground floor, and some bathrooms have wheelchair-accessible showers, which helps people who want to stay independent while planning ahead for changes in mobility. Air conditioning, laundry facilities and a fully equipped kitchen are part of the everyday setup, and the layouts give residents room to bring familiar furniture, photographs and keepsakes from a longer-held home.

The shared spaces give the community most of its personality, and they cover a wide range of moods. A library with a computer center and a media center sits near the arts and crafts rooms, while the bistro lounge hosts card games and evening entertainment. A movie room, a game room with a billiards table, a television lounge and a meeting room offer more places to gather, whether the day calls for conversation, a film or a quiet hand of cards.

A central fireplace and a piano or organ add a warm, lived-in feel to the common areas, where neighbors often stop to talk on the way to lunch or an afternoon program. Meals are served restaurant-style in the dining room, which has a private dining room for family gatherings, and a cafe serves lunch for residents who want something lighter. Guests can join residents for meals, and the kitchen prepares vegetarian and no-sugar choices so that visiting grandchildren and friends can sit down at the same table as someone who follows a particular diet.

Room service and a professional chef round out the dining program, which keeps mealtimes a social part of the day instead of a chore. The activity calendar leans toward movement, learning and company. Residents can join chair yoga, tai chi, stretching and walking groups, use the wellness and fitness center, or head to bingo, trivia, bridge and karaoke with neighbors who share their interests. Book clubs, art and cooking classes, a gardening club and visiting speakers fill other parts of the week, and live music, dances, holiday parties and day trips add variety beyond the building.

Water aerobics, brain fitness sessions and neighborhood barbecues and picnics appear among the options, so residents can choose a quiet week or a busy one depending on how they feel. Everyday help is built around keeping life simple for people who still manage their own routines. Housekeeping, grocery shopping and errand assistance, a beauty salon and a barber shop, and transportation for appointments and outings take care of many of the tasks that become tiring over time, so residents can spend their energy on friends, hobbies and family.

Religious services and visiting clergy give residents another way to stay connected without leaving the community. An outside patio, a gazebo and a gardening area give residents fresh air and a place to sit with a visitor when the weather is good. Pets are welcome in the community, and the walking club gives dog owners and others a reason to get outside, which matters to people who do not want to leave a dog or cat behind when they downsize from a larger home.

Southfield places residents minutes from shopping, dining, banks, pharmacies and healthcare, which makes it easy for relatives elsewhere in Oakland County to visit often. Park at Franklin offers independent living only, so it is designed for older adults who are active, social and able to manage their own daily routines; the apartments, the dining room and the activity spaces are open to families who want to see them in person.

Parking is available on site for residents and visitors, and complimentary transportation helps residents get to scheduled outings without driving.