When searching for an assisted living facility, I hope your loved one can be part of the decision-making process. That was certainly the case with my father and our family. While visiting facilities, a casual comment on the way to a doctor's appointment at Edward Hospital led us to tour Cedarhurst of Naperville. We all liked Cedarhurst with its nice welcoming entrance and the way the facility showed. Although my father was unable to make a final decision because of a health emergency, he ultimately moved there. For our family, finding the right balance was important. My father did not want a very large facility, but we also knew that a smaller community might not provide enough opportunities for social interaction. Cedarhurst of Naperville offered what felt like the perfect setting for his needs. There are activities every day, and my father enjoyed many of them. He especially liked the performers who came in on Fridays, and the special events held throughout the year. Over time, he became President of the Residents' Council and was very active in working with both residents and staff to help make Cedarhurst the best community it could be. Cedarhurst was not the least expensive option we considered, but it was more affordable than many other facilities. During our initial conversations, the sales team mentioned they anticipated annual rate increases of around 3%. In reality the increases were somewhat higher than that. However, considering that the facility was relatively new, the rising costs following COVID, and the importance of attracting and retaining quality staff, I felt those increases were generally understandable. Whenever concerns arose, Executive Director Elayne was always willing to listen and discuss them. Before writing this review, I read many of the other reviews online. While I do not disagree with some of the concerns that have been raised, my experience was that when issues did occur, they were addressed promptly. We never had difficulty reaching senior leadership, particularly Elayne, the current Executive Director, or Ellie, the Director of Nursing (and previously Carolyn in that role) and the other senior staff members. A few years ago, my father rated Cedarhurst a 4 out of 5. I would agree that it is somewhere between a 4 and a 4½-star community. Since most review sites do not allow half-star ratings, I am giving Cedarhurst 5 stars to balance out my dad's earlier rating. Overall, Cedarhurst of Naperville provided a welcoming community, meaningful activities, responsive leadership, and a level of care that helped my father remain engaged and involved. We are grateful for the experience and the relationships he built there.
