Central Nursing and Rehabilitation Center sits at 2450 North Central Ave., right in Chicago's Belmont Central neighborhood, and you know, they've got a long history of caring for older adults, offering both short-term rehab and long-term nursing care, which means folks can come here after a hospital stay for recovery or plan to live here a while if they need ongoing help, and I've heard that the place has a real homelike atmosphere, with quiet living spaces and a sense of calm that helps a lot of residents feel at ease. The building has 245 certified beds, and residents get care from licensed nurses and aides, though reports show nurse staffing hours are lower than the state and national averages, which some families watch closely. They provide daily help like bathing, dressing, medication management, and there's both physical therapy and up-to-date rehab services for those needing to get their strength and movement back, all while the meals-one or two served every day-get planned by chefs and meal planners, even if some have raised concerns about food safety and clean serving. Central Nursing and Rehabilitation Center is known for a friendly, helpful staff and regular social activities that keep residents engaged, and they've even gotten awards for their activity programs, so folks get a chance to stay sharp, laugh, and feel connected.
The center provides memory care, which serves seniors with Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia, and they've set up certain areas for reducing confusion or wandering. Seniors with physical or mental health conditions have access to 24-hour nursing, general healthcare services, rehabilitation-including physical therapy-and help with daily chores like laundry and housekeeping. The place has medication management, offers inpatient nursing, handles post-hospital care, and keeps doctors on-site for easy evaluations, especially during new admissions, and they even have a contract with the Veterans Administration, so veterans can receive around-the-clock nursing and medical care.
Location-wise, it's got easy access to public transportation and sits close to well-known Chicago hospitals and local doctors, which means families don't have to travel far in an emergency. Central Nursing and Rehabilitation Center participates in both Medicaid and Medicare, so there's some cost help for qualifying residents. Several details, though, stand out for anyone considering this place-there've been no federal fines in the last three years, which is good, but health inspections found some issues, like food handling, higher-than-acceptable medication errors, and a number of safety hazards from not warning about wet floors or not providing enough supervision to prevent falls and accidents. Only 75.9% of long-term residents here got their pneumococcal vaccine, which is on the lower side, but nearly all got their seasonal flu shots, and very few have gotten urinary infections or had major injuries from falls, which the records show. Short-stay residents see somewhat more readmissions to the hospital than the average, but fewer have to go back to the emergency room, and most short-stay folks do show improvement in their abilities before leaving. Some complaints have been logged about staff missing personal and oral hygiene for a few residents, but people generally describe the place as warm and welcoming.
Central Nursing and Rehabilitation Center is owned by a for-profit company and isn't part of a continuing care retirement community, but they customize care to the needs of each person, whether it's help getting dressed in the morning or finding the right rehab therapy after an illness. Families are encouraged to come and tour, meet the staff, and see the activity rooms and peaceful surroundings before making any decisions.
