Communities in Normal, IL

"The Pointe at Pontiac was clean. The people were nice. It was accessible straight from the interstate. It was inviting, too. We were hopeful that we were going to get into that one, but we couldn't. The staff we met was exciting. They wanted to be there to work with the individuals. I thought they had done a great job from what we could see. We had applied to go to them, but they denied us because my mom would occasionally get a bladder infection, and she would also have some hallucinations, and they said that because of those, they wouldn't accept her."

"We looked at a two-bedroom -- which is really what my friend would like -- and it had two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a walk-in closet, a kitchen, a stove, and a regular sized refrigerator. The living room was nice and big. They have like craft classes and various exercise classes. The thing that I really liked about Westminster was that if you were in the nursing home, you still can have dinner with a friend in the cafeteria, and you can go to all of the activities in the assisted living. "

"We visited Bloomington Towanda Barnes Villas and Reflections. My mom is very particular, and she's very impressed. It's brand-new and has all the features. She knows some people there. Kathy was the person who accommodated us during our tour, and she was very informative and friendly. We saw just about every aspect of the place. We stopped by the dining area and talked to the chef there. We also talked to the people who live there. It's pretty organized for a brand-new place. They have plenty of TVs and plenty of room to play cards, board games, and just a social visit with coffee and stuff. It had a spacious dining room and a special family room for special occasions."

"I toured Bloomington Fox Creek Villas and Reflections. It was very impressive on how they have it designed to look like a little town. The people there feel like they're walking through a little town, and they are not stuck inside somewhere. So that was kind of cool. The staff seemed very inviting. They expressed to me how the people in their community would welcome new people with open arms and how they would help them feel part of the community. The hallways were a little dark with the lighting, but other than that, it was very impressive. The rooms were clean and very big. The dining room was very clean and very nice, the way they had it set up. They have a movie theater and all the different activity rooms."

"I went to Luther Oaks. It's a lovely, premium-type place that was just too expensive for us. We saw the room and saw where they ate and so forth, and it was beautiful. They do have a workout area for exercise. They have outdoor park areas. It's very open, very clean, extremely clean. The staff was very pleasant."

"Meadows is a wonderful facility. The staff goes above and beyond caring for the residents. They also make families feel comfortable and welcome when visiting loved ones. "

"I moved to Maple Lawn Homes, and I liked the cottage I moved into. I felt I was leaving one home and going into another, which had a garage and several rooms, even though it was smaller than the house I left. That's what turned me on to this home, besides living in an apartment. They supply a dishwasher, a microwave, a stove, and a washer and a dryer. When I moved in, it was clean and repainted. I have a fan in my bedroom and living room, which is nice. I'm on one level, but I have an extended balcony where I can sit outside. The staff does the landscaping around my house for me and everything like that. I'm in a cottage duplex, so I have my nearest neighbor. Her garage is attached to mine. There's a group of houses like that and then individual houses that you can buy in as a community, but I wasn't interested in that. I have a dog, a cat, and a bird, and I was allowed to have all of them without restrictions. I've only encountered two staff members who introduced themselves to me. One was the maintenance man who set up my TV. He came with a lady and introduced her, and she was the landscaper. Everybody's been very helpful."

"The Hopedale Commons is wonderful. It's upscale middle class, and there are a lot of volunteers, which I think is what makes the place look so attractive. You can stay in your room or you can go out to do several different things. I'm impressed with the place, however it is expensive. They have music, speakers, a book club, card games, and they play bingo. There are volunteers in the assisted living and nursing home sections, and they mostly talk and listen to the residents."

"Snyder Village is a CCRC, so it's independent living, memory care, assisted living, and a nursing home. My parents lived there for 20 years and they got very good care in every facility they've been in. The place is well taken care of, and the maintenance is good. They had many social activities over the years like potlucks and all kinds of social get-togethers. They're very popular so I think they probably have a waiting list although they probably have some independent living cottages open right now."