Park Forest Care Center

My sister lived at another facility which was difficult to get to and go see her. She ended up getting very ill and was hospitalized for a week with a bladder infection. While she was in the hospital, our mother and I decided that we needed to get her to a place that was easier for me to go see her and make sure she was being treated well. The hospital gave us a list of facilities and I researched them.
Park Forest has some of the best scores for care. When I showed up, unannounced to view the facility, the Administrator was very kind and professional. I was told that there is rarely openings because of the size of the facility (only 55 beds) but one was coming open in about a week.
I was then given a call when the bed opened up and started the process to get her moved. They even gave my sister an interview to make sure she would be a good fit with her potential roommate! That impressed me.
She has been there about a month now and I am very happy with Park Forest. The location is great for visiting her. The staff is always professional. The facility is always clean. Her and her roommate are the best of friends now and help each other out and I’m able to get her roommate’s opinion on things for perspective.
The grounds are beautiful and with the Grotto 62 acre’s being their backdoor, it’s really something!
The only thing I wish was different is that there was a little more space and/​or storage for her things and more parking.

My sister stayed at Park Forrest for rehab sometime in 2008 for a few weeks and we found the staff and services very good. Then in February 2013 she needed a place to go for rehab & our first choice was Park Forrest. The staff are absolutely fabulous! Our experience this time was even better than before. The nurses and CNA’s are so caring and responsive! The housekeeping staff does a great job, I have even seen them on their hands & knees cleaning table bottoms & baseboards. I have never walked in to the smell of urine or any other foul orders. The Activities Director is wonderful! My sister developed many medical issues and became non ambulatory & one of her wishes was to go to the beach with my sister & I. Connie & the physical & occupational therapists arranged for «a day at the beach» party. They decorated Peggy’s room with colorful beach towels, we had virgin margarita’s, brownies and many laughs that day. A few days later the three of us were given photo books of pictures Connie took which are priceless. My sister is very well taken care of & we would not want her anywhere else! It is very comforting to know she is in good hands. Kudos to all the staff at Park Forest!

My mom didn’t want to go to a nursing home, or anywhere away from home. In her home, she can do all her hobbies, eat all her favorite Filipino foods, prepared by her or us, plus she paid for it and wants to die there like my dad did. She knew, that she will get stronger and she will be back on her feet, as soon as she starts her radiation. With that said, I end up talking her into moving to Park Forest, one, because it’s close from my home, I can easily walk there & visit her. I told her I will even do volunteer work, so I have an excuse for visiting her there often. She went for it! That’s right, she was ready to be among women her own age!
On the day she moved in, I was unpacking some of her necessities, when she rang up the nurse. She pressed the button, like 10x, but no nurse came to see her. I also found out, that SHE WILL HAVE to walk to the bathroom, without her walker, and that there is no guard rail on her bed. Meaning, they didn’t care if she fell, or tripped, my mom is DYEING of cancer and there is NO WAY IN HELL was she walking alone in the bathroom, without an assistance!
To me, that was a torture! I found out, the buzzer had a hole so the reason why the nurse didn’t hear her. What if she tried the buzzer and I wasn’t there, and she’s having an emergency?
Right away, I decided, this was NOT a place for her. The lady who was in the same room as mom (roommate) her first warning to us was: «good luck, getting help around here!» I didn’t know @ that time, what she meant. But she was giving us a good warning. I feel sorry for relatives, leaving their ‘love ones’ in a place such as this!
I got a confirmation from her doctor, and took mom home with me, that same evening.
That was a good move, on my part, because I had the last 3 months with my mother, and took care of her and had a chance to be a ‘mother’ to her and her the ‘daughter’.

Nestled behind the loveliness that is the Grotto and adjacent parkways.
Evaluation for this place comes on the basis of volunteering and training. I was humbled to see some fabulous patient care for many of the residents at this modest facility, with day in and day out consistency. It resides in a quiet residential area off of the hustle-​bustle of 82^nd, yet close enough still to be a short walk for lunch/​break options (7 – 11, and the Indian/​curry hut right next door).
Thanks Park Forest for the mentoring and partnership. Thanks so very much for all that you do for those residents who rely so dearly on you.