The Best Independent Living Communities in Winnebago County, IL

"The Grand Victorian of Sycamore was clean and fancy. The person who greeted me was very helpful. Their facilities seemed phenomenal. They were priced higher but I could detect that it was probably higher quality. And so, you get what you pay for. They gave me a menu and it wasn't just a printout. It was a very professionally printed menu with gourmet pictures."

"I toured PA Peterson at the Citadel. I was surprised. I didn't even realize they had independent or assisted living. I mean, it's too small. I can't even get my bed into their bedroom. They needed to be redone because I did see an apartment, it wasn't for me, but the people were very nice, and the residents that I did see there seemed to be happy and content, which is always a good sign. They do have a different parking lot for independent living. It was hard to find a parking place. They had very few and they were kind of scattered. They did have a special parking lot, which I thought was nice because it's a lot easier to come and go, and a different entrance. The kitchen is a tiny little cubbyhole. The refrigerator and stove are there. The only thing you would have to supply is a microwave. There was very little counter space. So what little there was, the microwave would take up. It's one little tiny little corner because the main meal is provided. So, the only thing you would fix would be breakfast and supper. They have quite a menu. It's nice and it is a full meal. The staff was very courteous and she knew the residents. So I know she had a good rapport with them. The cleanliness, that's hard to judge because everywhere, they've been remodeling and redoing everything. It was kind of dirty on that but it was a construction site thing."

"Fairhaven Christian Retirement Center was very nice. The price was what I liked the least about the place, and what I liked the best was how spread out it was. It's a big facility and has a big campus. It had independent living homes on the property and assisted living inside. It was a Christian-based facility, and it was very friendly. They had signs up all over the place about being kind and being very family oriented. It's very nice, but the price was prohibitive. They had a gym, a hair salon, and a little community store. They didn't have to leave just to buy personal care stuff. It's located close to the hospitals."

"Siena on Brendenwood had nice apartments with a kitchen and a bedroom. There were over 100 people there. They had several rooms that you can use for gatherings. It's well taken care of. They had a gourmet shopper and a place in the morning where you can go get a Continental breakfast with hardboiled eggs and things like that which cost a couple of dollars. It's not a three-meal setup like some of the other places, and the supper was part of what you pay for per month. The residents were ambulatory. You can tell that most of them had been professional at one time because they're well dressed and seemed to be friendly. They speak when you're visiting. The lady in charge of helping us get enrolled had been very helpful."

"Cor Mariae was nice but it's more like an institution. It's an older building, multi story with smaller rooms and hallways. The staff was accommodating. It was in a good location but we just didn't feel at home there. "

"My grandfather was a resident there before he passed away. He lived there for 5 years. He started off living in their residental area where they would have caretaker come and help them a couple times a day, then when he became sick he had to be moved to the in-house facility for more one on one care. The facility is very clean though the food is less than desirable. Everyone I came into contact was helpful with answering my questions about my grandparents and if they did not know they found the answer for me. I would recommend this facility to anyone. "

"The independent living community at Greencastle of Mulford was nice and clean, but the apartment was tiny. You also couldn't have the apartment unless you paid extra outside of your rent for food to come to their dining room. Everybody doesn't want to do that. It was very small, so it didn't really give the feeling of having your own apartment. I remember them saying they have a small library room. The dining area was small and cafeteria-style. They said sometimes they make lunch, and sometimes it's breakfast, just depending on what the chef or the person cooking decided to do that day. That was just too much for me. It felt like I was under too much control."

"TLC Living Community was like coming off of a fancy magazine. There wasn't a speck of dirt or dust. It was well maintained. I was very impressed with how modern it is. It was just immaculate as far as cleanliness and that type of stuff. They lack a few things that some of the other ones offer, but it was the most modern and immaculate place I've ever been in."

"We chose Willowick - Beloit Campus for my father-in-law, but I don't really recommend this place. They just don't have enough people, and I don't think they have the experience that they need to take care of people in memory care. There are only three staff members dealing with about 20 residents. They're also kind of lazy. They just let everybody do whatever they want to do. There are residents who go and wander from room to room. The rooms are really nice, and they do all kinds of activities, which is great. The place is brand new and they clean it. It's just the interaction with the residents I find kind of poor."

"I was impressed with Cedar Crest. Their apartment was roomy. It's really good and they got a lot going on. They have a beautiful woodworking area, a great exercise room, and a dining room that looked really good, too. The staff was very friendly. It's neat and we were very interested in them."

"River Place Senior Apartments was very nice and very clean. The people were very friendly. We met some ladies that were playing cards there and some of the staff and they were all very nice. The apartment was also laid out very nicely. It was senior-friendly and very spacious. They have a community room that has a kitchen and stuff like that where they can gather. The dining area was very spacious and clean, too. It's in a very safe place and the residents looked out for each other. It's very close to the hospital and medical facilities."

"My mother lived in Willard Haus Senior Apartments for 15 years. It's a nice place, but the apartments needed to be upgraded. There really wasn't a staff. There's a manager and a maintenance facility. It's totally independent, but it was for seniors. It's right within walking distance of everything. The old staff wasn't that good, but the new staff was a 5. Shopping is next door within 100 feet. It's excellent for what you're paying for."

"Barb City Manor is clean and a good location for us. There's ample parking. The rooms are nice, you can have a studio apartment or just a bedroom and you don't do any cooking so you go downstairs to eat. The staff is very knowledgeable, helpful and good. They also have social activities. "