The memory care section is not up to par. There are not enough employees to take care of the amount…read moreof people. Ask them what the ratio of employees are per amount of patients, then you understand ... They are understaffed and the general staff is undereducated. Make sure you are visiting several times before signing up. Take part in activities (if they happen as posted). Take part of dinners etc. at the memory care unit, not the restaurant. I could write a lot of details of what was utterly missing before I removed my husband from this place that looks so great on the facade. It could be such a wonderful place if it had the right caring leadership.

My mom lived here for almost three years. I never went to the facility without discovering major…read moreissues. Please do not place your loved one here. I am very suspicious of the five star ratings. I can't believe anyone would rate this a five, after the many conversations I had with family and friends of residents at the facility. This is a horrible place.

As Vice-President of Membership of the Francophone Bilingual Toastmasters that has been meeting at…read morethe Breakers for over 5 years, I would like to thank all of the staff and especially, Adam, Chef Extraordinaire. We have had two special events in the last three months and Adam went out of his way to provide very special delicious dinners, table decorations and a beautiful environment. i am sure that one of the reasons that our members are so happy is because we dine in style at every meeting. Thank you so much!

About 6-9 months after I moved to the Breakers I would have recommended it to any of my friends…read more On my first survey I said you get a bigger bang for your buck. So many things have changed that I would say "see for yourself. Rent a room for a few days and see how things go, visit with residents and make up your mind." At present my comment would probably not be you get a bigger bang for your buck, but you get what you pay for.Last week we got notice of rent increase for the coming year. Rents went up from 8 -12%. I realize things are costing more but this much a spike was a total shock. I would like to know if some of the rental increase will be applied to some of the many problems I have faced. * Meals that are not as good as they used to be--there are fewer choices and for the most part they are simply not as good quality as they used to be. *Getting rid of Sunday brunches so we can again have valid choices for a dinner. *There has always been a situation with the elevators. Only four elevators (no service elevator) for 450 residents. Since I have moved in they have converted some guest rooms to resident rooms. So now we have more residents, more walkers, more wheelchairs, more dogs.... *This building has 33 floors and 4 laundry rooms with each laundry room having 4 washers and 4 driers and very seldom are they all working. *I spotted a cockroach in my apartment my second day here and continue to fight this battle. *Some units have no thermostatic control of the temperature so you are constantly getting up to either turn the unit on or off. *It has a heating/cooling system that can't provide heat and air at the same time. A Chicago Ordinance requires the system to change from cool to heat in November and from heat to cool in May, leaving residents uncomfortable during certain times of the year. *There are no exhaust fans, not even in the bathrooms. *You can always expect something to go wrong, no hot water, no cold water, no water... Give me a break. We had guests in a guest room. They were in their sixties, one was blind and they were on 32nd floor at a time when only two elevators were in operation during their entire stay. And one morning they awakened to no water, ergo no shower no flushing.... In spite of this no consideration was given in their rent. The one thing I will say is that the Breakers is located right by the Lake and in walking distance of anything you may need, Mariano's, Jewel/Osco, several eating places, close to most medical care you may need. Catherine O'Connell

A long overdue update. Mom lived at the Admiral for about 10 months before she became ill. She…read morewas hospitalized and it looked like she would pass away at the hospital. Mom wanted more than anything to get back to the Admiral so she could be near her friends and with staff who knew her. I got her out of the hospital against doctor's advice and took her back to The Admiral where she wanted to be. She went back to the nursing care portion of the facility and was greeted by nursing staff who knew her. Her friends got to visit her. I could bring personal things from her apartment to her room. She passed away after a few days where she wanted to be. If I had to do it over, I'd definitely do it again. Just the same.

I give zero stars. A new resident in their memory care unit was essentially bullied out. Too…read moreregimented and rigid for residents with cognitive decline and no person-centered care at all. Shameful that their ONLY advisement is to prescribe meds so they are not functional since I guess it would be too much work for the staff there. No compassionate care and everything was this resident's fault it seemed. I will not divulge the rest of the sordid details, but I am aghast at the indifference and borderline neglect regarding this community's services. Especially pertaining to a specialized ward such as Memory Care. SHAME!!!!!!

Care was top notch, food was amazing for an institution. Unfortunately, I've experienced other…read morefacilities and hospitals where food was inedible, but my wife was able to join me and enjoy meals with me. Phys and Occupational therapists were attentive and helpful.

Some of the staff is exceptional such as the nursing director who was responsive to my family's…read moreconcerns. However, some staff was hostile, did not attend to my family member's hygiene or language needs. We were given 3 days discharge notice on a holiday weekend with no after care set up. We were also given a wrong diagnosis and the attending physician simply said "they don't have that, they never have" and no explanation or follow up was given. Nice place but don't let appearances fool you.

Almost three years in and I am so glad my parents are here!…read more The building is very nice -- their apartment has a great view, the public areas of the building are lively - residents really do use the library, the patio and the coffee bar area. The onsite services like PT, OT, massage and nursing have all contributed to my parents' ability to get back on their feet after an illness. The staff work with me to make sure my parents are getting the assistance they need, as well as the independence. They are flexible when surprises pop up and do many things to provide programming that keeps people involved in their interests. There is a good sense of community here and my parents have made new friends too.

We recently removed my 95 year-old mom from an incredibly subpar assisted living facility on…read moreAshland Ave to Brookdale a few months ago. She absolutely loves it. We chose independent living with personal caregivers. The activities that Brookdale offers are great, always something to participate in. The rooms are very large with lots of storage and the views of Lake Michigan are amazing. . The food is always good, lots of choices. The staff is always accommodating. Highly recommend!

my brother was lucky to get into their facility. he was not…read moreperfect but they were! he passed away while a resident and even that event was treated with dignity and respect.

I had the pleasure of visiting Little sisters of the poor home and was more than amazed at what I…read moresaw. Every nursing facility should be trying to copy what this little gem is doing . I saw residents that were happy to be there. The nuns that run the facility were busy tending to the residents. I saw respect in their eyes and in their actions. The home had zero COVID cases and this alone is outstanding. I am sure it's not easy to get a room there as there is a waiting list. Clean, odor free and happy faces . This place made me smile.

My father lived here for 3 years. He really enjoyed his time at the Self-Help home. He even had a…read morefriend he knew for many years living at the Self-Help Home. My Gigi also lived there.

A huge thumbs-up for Selfhelp! From the second you walk in, you feel like you're in a welcoming,…read morehomey environment. The staff are amazing--super friendly and always go above and beyond to make sure the residents are happy and well taken care of. There's no shortage of activities here! Whether it's group outings, arts and crafts, or even some chill yoga, there's always something fun and engaging to do. It's a great way for everyone to stay active, meet new people, and just have a good time. Also, the team really takes the time to make sure each resident gets the personalized attention they need. You can tell that the staff are passionate about what they do, which makes all the difference.

NOW is called VISTAS OF LINCOLN PARK, 2437 N SouthportAve…read moreExcellent staff, attractive meals, older milieu

Careful! An elderly tenant with dementia was financially exploited by employees of this assisted…read moreliving facility. If you have love ones being cared for here, please perform your due diligence for any fraudulent activity. Taking advantage of the elderly should not be tolerated at all.

I have lived in New Friendly Towers for the past 8 1/2 years. This year, I was suddenly getting…read morebitten by bedbugs. Lead maintenance worker, Ted, told me that, before he searches my bed, I need to show him proof that I have bedbugs. He required me to show photos of the bedbugs that were biting me. Maintenance worker, Eric, told me that if they were bedbugs I would have seen them. I complained to Stephen, the building manager, but he agreed with Ted and Eric, and added that I could prove I had bedbugs by sticking them to a piece of tape. Based on my communications with Stephen, I believe he had ordered Ted and Eric, who obey without question Stephen, the agent of the owner, Jesus People USA (JPUSA). He kicked me out of his office because he needed to mail a time-sensitive communication and did not care to listen to more of my "whining." I have come to view Stephen as a textbook case of a narcissist. I complained to 311 about this flagrant violation of the Chicago Bedbug Ordinance, and they sent me an acknowledgement on 4/4/25. But they have never responded to me. Whenever I checked on the status of my complaint, the 311 agent told me they will definitely visit when they visit. Apparently, the City of Chicago either does not enforce the bedbug ordinance, or it selectively enforces it. Even after using diatomaceous earth, which I had purchased, I was getting bites off and on for about 6 months. Stephen fabricated the new excuse that they will not check my bed until I remove the clutter in my closet. I renewed my lease, but am now looking for another apartment. After leaving my lease in my apartment, I returned to talk to Stephen. I told him that whether I had clutter in my closet is irrelevant to their refusal to search my bed. He agreed. He said I claim I was bitten by bedbugs, but I don't know that I was. I told him I was bitten by bedbugs, the welts looked like bedbug bites, and they felt like bedbug bites. Stephen argued that bedbugs don't spread disease, and the reaction is only an allergic reaction, only some people being allergic to bedbugs. I told him that's irrelevant because all that it relevant is that he is violating the bedbug ordinance. Failing to deny my allegation, he said that, as building manager, he is aware of the bedbug ordinance. He claimed, incorrectly, that he gives us a copy of the ordinance every time we sign a lease. He, in fact, only hands us a brochure that refers to the ordinance. I avoided telling him that I'm still getting bedbug bites because I wanted to talk him into inviting one of the inspectors from Ecolab, which does some periodic perfunctory inspections and spraying, to visit my apartment. I was hoping he/she would search my bed for bedbugs. After getting what I wanted, I returned to my apartment and, to make my complaint more formal, I sent him an email note, informing him that I was still getting bitten. All of a sudden, Ted and Eric visited my apartment, and Eric made an extremely perfunctory search. I requested that they place two bedbug encasements on my bed. Immediately, I received a bill for $50 for the bedbug encasements--in direct violation of our lease. I told Stephen, via email, that I owe nothing for the encasements, and I requested further specific information from Stephen, who simply ignored me. Building management has scant concern for those of us who live in the top three floors. It was not my responsibility to prove that I had bedbugs; instead, it was the landlord's responsibility to provide evidence that there were no bedbugs in my apartment. If I was correct that my apartment was infested with bedbugs, there was a risk that bedbugs could have spread to adjacent apartments. We are the only residents in this 10-story building who pay rent, and virtually all of our rent is used to operate and maintain the rest of the building, as well as to prepare rooms for future tenants. JPUSA is less concerned about causing the suffering of tenants than it is concerned about maximizing its wealth. JPUSA insists upon spending our rent dollars on preparing rooms for new tenants, while keeping rent high by withholding from the public the facts that some of its apartments are infested with bedbugs and that New Friendly Towers has no washers or dryers, which are necessary to rid clothes of bedbugs. Tenants who use maids to launder their clothes should reduce their rent by the cost to taxpayers for this maid service; currently, New Friendly Towers is not motivated to install washers and dryers. JPUSA controls the minds of the slave community (which includes Ted and Eric; Stephen is not a slave and owns a condo), which lives on floors 2-7. JPUSA profits by having its slaves labor without pay. When they join, they surrender all their property to the community. They cannot hold "second jobs" and are forbidden access to cash. Anyone who is thinking about renting a room at New Friendly Towers, go elsewhere.

Although I have some pleasant memories of living there, for the most part I hated it. In the last…read morecouple of years I found it exceedingly difficult just to exist there on a day-to-day basis, especially when Steven & Ned, the current manager's, took over. They were rarely if ever available, whether it was to fix something minor, like a broken down computer, or address tenant concerns about unruly neighbors, gospel singing, loud radio playing, or bizarre behavior. They didn't believe in regular office hours and when they graced us with their presence we were usually met with contempt and unnecessary sarcasm. Ned especially! Even his own son shunned him! Their office hours were, In by 9:00 or 10:00ish, out by 12PM! It wasn't even 5 days a week! Another thing that rubbed most of us the wrong way was how we were continuously shunned by their group, the Jesus People. They kept their distance from us and would only talk when it was absolutely necessary, even though we saw each other on a regular basis. It was always uncomfortable living there, never really welcoming, or friendly. I felt their whole existence was basically a way to avoid the day to day grind of having to work for a living so they came up with the idea of having the tenants pay rent to support them and their unconventional lifestyle. Although I had some pleasant memories at the Friendly, they were too few to mention. I lived there 8 long, and for the most part painful years. I no longer live there!

It's time for a recent review for Covenant Home of Chicago. Here goes:…read more When my father decided it was time to sell his apartment building and move to a supportive living situation, Covenant Home came to the fore, as it is part of Chicago Methodist Senior Services. And as Steve Z. commented, searching for an assisted living facility is indeed an education in itself and totally new territory for me. The staff at Covenant helped us navigate the ins and outs of the application process, which as you can imagine, complicated. Financial records, doctors' assessments, TB test, all in the mix. To the building: It was built in 1997, so is relatively new, well-maintained, with a caring (yes, I said that, though I realize that is often just a buzzword in reviews of these types of enterprises.) staff. The meals are tasty and well-balanced. Residents sit 4 to a table with fresh flowers, nice silverware, and always water (so no dehydration, per the reviewer from 5 years ago). (They also have a water cooler w/lemons in the foyer). On Sundays they put white linen tableclothes on the dining tables, which, together with the flowers, makes for a very nice setting. In all, there are about 54 residents, with either studio apartments or 1 bedroom. The floors are all wood and nicely maintained, fresh paint upon move-in, the better to navigate with walkers, etc. The building has Comcast cable available. Residences are equipped with small refrigerator/freezer, a microwave, sink in a little "kitchen" area. Two closets, and ample cabinets in the bathroom. The five floors are built in a square around an atrium, which gives the place a nice airy feeling. All the rooms' windows are outward facing. The bathroom has a level floored shower for safety and there are pull chains all over the place for residents to pull if in distress. There are daily activities for residents, trips to Jewel and Walgreens if you are not mobile enough to go on your own. Filling the day: Evening movies, afternoon coffee in a very cute cafe, balance class, art class, current events, Bible study, word games, bingo, ballroom dancing, tai chi, Sunday worship (Methodist), a Tuesday Mass, manicures, watercolors, culture chats (not sure what that is). An RN is on site most of the time and he or she keeps good track of dispensing medications for all residents. And, if there is a health crisis, Swedish Covenant Hospital is right across the street! This is not a memory care type of place. For that, they have Wesley Place, further east on Foster. Residents have varying ranges of mobility. My father goes to his own medical appointments (right at the corner), takes taxis or walks to close by destinations such as Lincoln Square and the Tre Kroner Restaurant. So, all in all, he was fortunate to secure a studio here. And since I live in Oakland, CA, it's important to feel that he is safe and in good hands. Covenant Home provides that security and care.

My search for an assisted living facility was an education in itself- long story short I decided on…read morethe Covenant Home based on it being close to my own home, and on my gut feeling about the people I spoke with, the director and the assistant director of the facility. It's been a year and four months, and I am happy to say the result has been better than I expected. My mom moved into the Covenant Home in September of 2012. She was 90 at that time, and had been living at the North Shore Retirement Hotel in Evanston. During her 6 years at the North Shore she progressed from being fairly self-sufficient to needing help with some of her daily care, and she had more and more difficulty dealing with things in general, as her memory was getting worse. During her last year at North Shore she was hospitalized twice, she had poor appetite, was losing weight and she was depressed. She also had a couple physical conditions that required some daily attention. We had hired a helper for her and also contracted with the on site home nursing company at the North Shore, but their services were not enough. After she moved into the Covenant Home her appetite began to improve, and it's no longer an issue at all. The chronic problems she was having previously are under control, she is consistently in good spirits, and she has made friends there. Although she was not happy to make this move, she is now quite happy there, and says so. This is a much better outcome than I anticipated and I believe it is due the competency of the staff, the fact the quality of her care is consistent, and an intangible aspect: that the culture there is one of attentive kindness. The care she gets at the Covenant Home is a mix of residential and medical- they take care of making sure she gets her meds, cleaning of her studio apartment, dressing, dining, getting ready for bed, all that. Additionally, they they keep up with any ongoing medical care she needs, they make doctor appointments, and if necessary provide transportation. The are proactive in her care in terms of the medical, hygienic and social aspects. If you feel like hearing more about this I would be happy to correspond. You can send a private message to me through the Yelp system.