Holiday Palmer Hills

Bettendorf is part of the Quad Cities, and Holiday Palmer Hills at 2617 Maplecrest Road serves older adults there who want to stop maintaining a house but still live on their own terms. The community offers independent living only. It is operated by Holiday by Atria, the independent living rental brand of Atria Senior Living, so residents rent a private apartment month to month rather than paying an entrance fee.

The monthly rent bundles the basics of running a household. It covers the apartment itself, meals cooked by a chef and served 3 times a day, housekeeping, laundering of linens, rides on a set local schedule, upkeep of the building and lawns, basic utilities and an events calendar that changes daily. Internet, phone and TV are set up before move-in through a service called ReadyConnect, billed as a flat fee on the monthly statement.

The building has been refreshed in recent years. Residents set their own pace: some fill the week with group events, while others keep to themselves and join in only now and then. Floor plans and a virtual tour can be viewed online before a visit, which helps families narrow the choice of apartments ahead of time.

Rent here does not cover personal care or help with medications, and some rates leave out phone, cable or internet, so ask for a written list of what the rent covers. An online calculator on the operator's site compares the rent with the cost of staying in a current home. Families weighing a move can also compare other options through senior living in Bettendorf before deciding.