Bickford of Gurnee

When you pay over $5,000 a month, in my opinion, you are paying not only for care, compassion, and safety, but also for peace of mind—knowing your loved one will be treated with consistency and respect. Unfortunately, Bickford falls short in providing both peace of mind and respect. The quality of meals and the cleanliness of the dining room are subpar and completely unacceptable. They are unable to retain dining staff, leaving one person to handle cooking, serving, and cleaning—an impossible workload for a single individual. This employee is amazing, kind, and regularly called in to help, but even their dedication is not enough to compensate for the lack of support. Management refuses to be onsite on weekends, when issues are most severe, which is deeply disappointing. Despite numerous calls, written documentation, and formal complaints, nothing has improved except continued staff turnover. After six months, this experience has been extremely disappointing.

Deciding to move a loved one from independent to assisted living is not an easy journey. Especially when up against an end-of-lease situation. Abby made things happen quickly (which we know is not the norm) and the entire team at Bickford showed compassion, respect, and caring – both to our father and to us as we made the transition. The approach that Bickford is their resident’s HOME rings true in all that they do. Abby asked about dad’s likes, dislikes, favorite foods, etc. All the little things that matter when making a person feel comfortable and safe. Dad is very content there, and most importantly safe and well cared for.

Abby is truly amazing! She goes above and beyond to answer the same questions many times to help my family understand. She makes everyone feel welcome and special and I just can’t say enough words about her! The facility is very clean and all the staff seems super friendly! The enclosed courtyard is BEAUTIFUL and safe, which I love. They make the residents feel it is their home and not a facility. The “restaurant”is cute and makes them feel it is a family dining experience. The residents can either eat there or have food brought to their room, and they have many food choices. There are many common areas to watch tv, do a puzzle, etc. They also have a church service option onsite WHICH WE LOVE. Bickford is so accommodating and I have loved every time we have went in there. Again, shout out to Abby and Miss Shirley!

Not having toured other facilities to compare with, I'm leaving 4 stars. But it's probably really 5! Bickford and everything it offers have been wonderful with my father. He is happy here, and I can tell because he calls me and tells me everything multiple times a day! Abby and Shirley are very caring and helpful, always answering my texts and phone calls. Abby even sends me photos of my dad when they have activities/events. This place fell into our lap at exactly the right time and I couldn't ask for a more caring and compassionate staff. Thanks for being there for my dad!

I cannot say enough about the warm feeling you get when entering Bickford of Gurnee. We have been looking for the perfect home away from home for my mom and we can't wait for her to move in next week. From the very first phone call, to my first visit and everything in between, my anxiety has been put at ease. Abby is amazing and truly treats you like a family member, answering questions and caring not just for the individual moving in but also the entire family unit. Thank you Abby and we cannot wait to meet more of the Bickford family.