Heritage Woods of Watseka, GateWay at River City and Heritage Woods of Manteno earned top honors in the 2018 Testimonial Contest hosted by the Affordable Assisted Living Coalition.
The focus of the contest is to highlight the important role that the Illinois Supportive Living Program plays in the lives of older adults and adults with physical disabilities. The program provides a wonderful alternative to a nursing home for individuals who need some help to maintain their independence. Individuals of virtually all incomes, including those on Medicaid, can qualify for residency.
Gardant manages more than 40 communities in Illinois that participate in the state’s Supportive Living Program.
The winners of the first, second and third place awards in the Testimonial Contest are residents of Gardant-managed communities.
First Place – Nancy Hall – Heritage Woods of Watseka
“I love living on my own at Heritage Woods. There are so many things to do, plus I have my own apartment. Since moving to Heritage Woods, I have been able to use the transportation and go many places on my own or with the activity department. I love the freedom that I have here!”
Second Place – Art Lingenfelter, GateWay at River City
“I really enjoy living here at GateWay at River City. I am free from isolation and loneliness. When I lived at the nursing home, I felt like no one cared or had time to just talk, but here at GateWay, I feel like I am family. The staff and residents are never too busy to talk, and now I know how it feels like to be loved. I no longer have the fear of being alone and isolated. I have family I can go with on outings with, play cards with, or just sit around talking and laughing. GateWay has given me freedom to be me, to be loved and treated as a human being instead of a castaway. I am overwhelmingly happy with my life at GateWay at River City.”
Third Place – Eva Buis, Heritage Woods of Manteno
“Having planned activities has given me the opportunity to share new experiences with people who have the same interests. It is fun to go places that I might not have had a chance to see and gives me something I look forward to doing. My family is very happy with my new home and the care I am receiving. They feel at ease knowing that I am safe, taking my medications on time, eating healthy meals, and making new friends. They enjoy visiting.”
Heritage Woods of Manteno and Heritage Woods of Watseka are affordable assisted lifestyle communities that serve older adults of all incomes. GateWay at River City is an affordable assisted lifestyle community for low-income adults with physical disabilities. The community is located in Peoria, Illinois.
Testimonials from several residents of Gardant-managed communities also received an honorable mention in the testimonial category: Susan Anderson from GateWay at River City, Pauline Hamm and Jan Kinman from Grand Prairie of Macomb, Jim McNamara from Prairie Living at Chautauqua in Carbondale, Nancy Gibson from Heritage Woods of Sterling and Rudie Benit from Heritage Woods of South Elgin.
Photos from three Gardant communities – Cambridge House of O’Fallon, Eagle Ridge of Decatur and Heritage Woods of Sterling – also received an honorable mention in the Affordable Assisted Living Coalition Photo Contest.
Gardant Management Solutions is the largest provider of assisted living in Illinois. It operates assisted living, senior living and memory care communities in Chicago and surrounding suburbs, the Metro East area of St. Louis, and other locations in northern, central and southern Illinois.
The company also manages properties in Georgia, Indiana, West Virginia and Virginia, ranking as one of the largest providers of assisted living in the country, according to Senior Living Executive, a publication of Argentum.
For more information about Gardant Management Solutions or the assisted living, senior living and memory care communities the company operates, visit gardant.com or call 1-877-882-1495 toll-free.
