Samuel F. Vilas Home

The Vilas Home (Samuel F. Vilas Home) was expensive, but they took care of the needs or the request of the people that were living in their houses. I liked the fact that they had individual rooms. They had a dining room. They were so close to many things in the community that they helped them go out to do the activities in the community if they wanted to. They weren't isolated. The staff was very considerate, and they tried to be helpful or if they couldn't do what the person wanted may be because it was the doctor's order or something, they would explain it to them. It was very nice because it was closer to college, and if they wanted to they could go out because the college put on shows. They were also close to shopping; if they were still able to walk, they are 3 or 4 blocks from shopping. It was an older building, but the rooms were big enough with a nice size bed, a dresser, and all those kind of things. It was a smaller facility, but they had a sitting room and a library. Most of the ladies I knew accepted it because they were treated so nicely, and they realized that this was much better for them because they couldn't take care of themselves the way they used to 20 years ago. I would recommend them to others.

The staff at Samuel F. Vilas was excellent. They were mainly young adults probably in their early twenties, and there were some older women that were downstairs in the nursing station. Those young people are very energetic and nice. From what my mother-in-law is saying, the food is very good, and there is plenty of it too. I wasn't there that long, but from what I understand, they had reading rooms and had some game rooms. I guess there are a couple of church services that are there on the weekend. We were up there in the winter, and it seemed to be very well kept and well maintained. It was nice and very clean. We actually looked in some of the restrooms, and they were spotless. It’s comfortable there. They have couches, lounges, recliners, and a couple of TV rooms. It’s very house oriented; it’s not like an institution. It’s got paintings and furnishings, and the bedrooms are nice. It looks like an old colonial house with one small parking lot on one side. It’s actually got a wraparound porch, so when the weather gets nice they can sit outside.