Bethesda Home & Retirement Ctr

Bethesda Home and Retirement Center is an older facility tucked away on a quiet street on Chicago's northwest side. I really liked it. The storied brick building with an awning in the front seemed stately and inside is this beautiful dark wood paneling. I loved the building. It reminds me of an old fashioned resort that I used to go to as a kid and I have good memories. Bethesda Home was very clean and I did not smell any bad odors anywhere in the rooms or the hallways. While this facility may not have all the bells and whistles that a newer one would (I didn't see any flat screen TVs for example), the nursing home has lovely and comfortable furnishings and art work on the wall. There is nothing lavish about the dining room, but the residents seemed comfortable. I will say that the food that I observed looked decent and even appealing. My friend who I was visiting that day was happily eating her beets and was being assisted by a very patient nursing aide. The lobby had nice furnishings and there was a little enclosed sitting area as well as a snack shop on the first floor. What struck me in particular was that the place was quiet and rather peaceful, unlike many hospital and nursing home settings which can have a lot of foot traffic and a lot of noise. According to a Chicago Tribune article, Bethesda has "embraced' a culture change in the last couple of years which lets residents make decisions such as when to bathe, eat and sleep. Bethesda Home certainly didn't seem like an "institution" to me and I would recommend it.

The Bethesda Home and Retirement Center is wonderful place with a caring staffof nurses, CNA's, and volunteers helping seniors and dementia patients live happy lives.

A very good friend and former neighbor of mine has been a resident for years. I visit him every chance I get and I love spending time with him. My most recent visit was probably last month when I asked my niece to accompany me. We went to say hello and ended up staying for hours. The staff is friendly and greeted me as always. I packed lunch for myself and my niece and brought in a little something for my friend as well. The staff does not mind that I bring food for him. The staff is laid back, but when my friend calls for them, they are there in a second. I was impressed with that.