2 Independent Living Communities in Normal, Illinois

Dutiful Daughter

A loved one is in palliative care-I would not put them here! My father was here in May 2025 and what I witnessed was absolutely heartbreaking. I witnessed patients not being fed in the room who absolutely needed to, food was taken away, so they didn’t get to eat. If food was supposed to be puréed, it was whatever they had for that day in a blender and puréed it was disgusting. The help buttons were up so high that patients could not reach them. Walkers canes were being taken away from patients even though they could still use them and were beneficial to them. Falling happened every day and sometimes twice a day. That seemed acceptable. I asked for a full mat it was denied. I saw a nurse move a patient’s legs by holding onto the sock of her toes and moving her legs around. I witnessed medication given before lunch and this would knock the patients out so that they couldn’t eat. I’m not sure that that was on purpose, but there was no attempt to rectify. That is just to name a few things I witnessed.

Kathy

Sugar Creek Alzheimer's Special Care Center is the one I would choose if I can afford it. I like their rooms, and they let you bring in furniture so you can feel at home. Their staff was great and their residents all seemed busy doing something. It was more entertaining in this community than others. They showed me one of the rooms and it was where one resident lives, and it was nice. The place just felt more homey and seemed like everybody was interacting with each other, like a home community.

SB

My dad was at The Loft. He went there in the hopes of doing rehabilitation, but while he was there, they did not have the patience to work with someone like him. The food was horrible. Every time I ate with him the residents were always talking about how horrible the food was. The place itself was sterile and hospital-like, but it was not very updated. The halls were cluttered. They had people in wheelchairs and in walkers trying to go through with the nurses carts. It was very congested. My dad had a private room, and he was on the therapy side. He was supposedly discharged for rehabilitation to go back home, but then his dementia really came on really strong. They were saying he needed more long-term care, but because of the way they interacted with him as well as the way they interacted with me, it was very stressful.

SB

My dad was at The Loft. He went there in the hopes of doing rehabilitation, but while he was there, they did not have the patience to work with someone like him. The food was horrible. Every time I ate with him the residents were always talking about how horrible the food was. The place itself was sterile and hospital-like, but it was not very updated. The halls were cluttered. They had people in wheelchairs and in walkers trying to go through with the nurses carts. It was very congested. My dad had a private room, and he was on the therapy side. He was supposedly discharged for rehabilitation to go back home, but then his dementia really came on really strong. They were saying he needed more long-term care, but because of the way they interacted with him as well as the way they interacted with me, it was very stressful.

Cindy

My mom used to be a resident of Blair House for a year. The place itself is nice, and it's smaller than her current community. She was on the main floor and the activities were downstairs. They didn't really have a lot of activities since it's independent living. Nursery kids would come and sing a few times a month. Her room there was a lot smaller than what she had now but it was nice. The staff was very good, it's a convenient and independent place but they looked out for her. They went over and beyond what they had to do for her. I don't have any complaints about the community, the only reason we moved was that mom needed extra care. Mom liked everybody there. It was a very nice place.