Bickford - Crystal Lake Cottage

I found the staff of Bickford in Crystal lake to be caring and knowledgeable. They cared about getting to know grandma and making sure she was comfortable and safe. The facility is clean and homey. The facility is located in a neighborhood and it is easy for us to get to to visit. It made the decision for our family easy.

The Health & Wellness Director is very attentive and is always available to answer questions day or night. The staff are very friendly and go out of their way to make the residents feel loved and cared for. The facility is very home like and clean.

They don't take Medicaid at time of writing but pricing was good for out of pocket. We got a holiday discount for 30 days at a fixed rate regardless of level of care needed and the local medical supply store gave a free hospital bed for 30 days. The staff was very flexible with no insurance payment and they drive out to your hospital to get you released. Free meals for family visiting or $8 if you come too often. Nurses check on patients very often. At lowest level of care they still clean the room and provide the meals and makes staying affordable. If you need a place to stay after being released from ICU with the prospect of getting better this place is excellent. Competitors charge like $7000+ for any amount of care and require down payments of up to 3 months. Bickford is still less or the same at highest level of care.

My family and I visited the facility for our grandmother since we run a few franchises and it's harder to provide for her care with such limited time. Yes it was a walk-in tour yet it doesn’t mean anything ! we were immediately concerned by several observations that raised serious red flags about cleanliness, professionalism, and overall standards of care. Upon arrival, a man on the bigger side hurried away from us while spraying air freshener. Despite this, there was a strong odor of cigarettes, body odor, and urine, masked with heavy fragrance. This created an unwelcoming and unhygienic first impression. Additionally, one caregiver appeared poorly groomed and dressed unprofessionally, no name-tag and lime green scrub wear, which did not reflect the level of care and dignity of this place that maybe once was great, let's not mention no greetings. While there were decorative elements meant to make the space appear appealing, they seemed to be used to distract from underlying issues. For example, a piano appeared to be placed to conceal a hole in the wall emitting a moldy, rotten smell. These are not just cosmetic issues but they raise legitimate health and safety concerns. Trisha, spent a significant amount of time discussing her personal life and previous employment rather than focusing on the facility, its services, or addressing concerns. While this was a walk-in tour, basic structure, transparency, and professionalism should still be expected. During the tour, a resident was wandering unsupervised, shouting profanity and striking the wall, which suggested inadequate monitoring and support. This same individual that was spraying air freshener was then later seen after the tour eating pizza by the main entrance as if they don't have a break room for that. Leaving me confused as to whether he was staff, a resident, or otherwise affiliated with the facility. I feel like I rather settle with a public aid facility! Save your bucks and time and carry a mask it stinks ! Sorry I never do this but you can’t do this to people !

WOW! What can I say…This Bickford Senior Living of Crystal Lake ROCKS! I needed to place my Mom ASAP on short notice into assisted living respite care in Illinois so I could coordinate her move down to where I reside in Missouri (8+ hours away). And they made it happen within 72 hours. I could never have asked for more caring and responsive individuals, trust me. Plus my Mom is LOVING the facility straight up, which is allowing me to focus on her placement here in Missouri! She has truly settled into the daily activities and care of the staff. Her peace of mind and daily care…I cannot ask for anything else! I would DEFINITELY place her here full-time if closer to me in Missouri. Thank you all at Crystal Lake Bickford Senior Living Caregivers. GOD BLESS!!! Sincerely, Janet Judkins