Shepherd Premier Senior Living

    2201 E Le Fevre Rd, Sterling, IL, 61081
    4.8 · 4 reviews
    • Assisted living
    • Memory care
    AnonymousLoved one of resident
    5.0

    Home-like facility with caring staff

    I moved my loved one here and I've been very impressed - it feels home-like, the rooms and facility are clean and inviting, the home-cooked meals are delicious, and the staff (especially the CNAs) are friendly, caring and very available to residents and families. It's a smaller place with a great staff-to-resident ratio and attentive care; there are lots of activities on the nursing side but fewer structured programs in memory care, and the grounds and housekeeping could use some improvement. Overall it's a top contender - I highly recommend it.

    Pricing

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    Amenities

    4.75 · 4 reviews

    Overall rating

    1. 5
    2. 4
    3. 3
    4. 2
    5. 1
    • Care

      4.7
    • Staff

      4.8
    • Meals

      4.3
    • Amenities

      3.0
    • Value

      4.8

    Pros

    • Smaller facility with favorable staff-to-resident ratio
    • Responsive and available staff to families and residents
    • Caring CNAs and attentive caregivers
    • Home-cooked, delicious meals
    • Clean facility and clean rooms
    • Friendly, welcoming, and kind staff
    • Home-like environment and inviting cottages
    • Many activities on the nursing home side
    • Highly recommended by reviewers

    Cons

    • Limited / few structured activities in memory care
    • Activity imbalance between memory care and nursing home side
    • Housekeeping could be improved or inconsistent
    • Grounds and outdoor areas need improvement

    Summary review

    Overall sentiment across the reviews is strongly positive, with repeated emphasis on personalized, attentive care and very favorable staff interaction. Reviewers consistently note that Shepherd Premier Senior Living feels home-like and that staff — particularly CNAs — are caring, kind, and available to both residents and families. The smaller size of the facility is mentioned as a clear advantage because it supports a better staff-to-resident ratio and contributes to individualized attention and responsiveness from team members. Several reviews explicitly call the staff welcoming and attentive, and the facility is described as a "top contender" and "highly recommend[ed]," indicating strong overall satisfaction.

    Care quality is one of the clearest strengths. Multiple comments highlight caring CNAs and attentive caregiving, suggesting day-to-day personal care needs are met reliably. Staff availability and communication with families is also called out positively, which often correlates with families’ confidence in oversight and responsiveness. The combination of smaller scale and staff attentiveness appears to deliver a reassuring level of personal attention for residents.

    Dining is another frequently praised area: reviewers describe the food as home-cooked, delicious, and even "amazing meals." Good home cooking seems to be a notable differentiator and contributes to the facility’s home-like atmosphere. Cleanliness of the facility and rooms is mentioned repeatedly as well, reinforcing impressions of good basic operations and resident comfort in living spaces.

    Activities present a mixed picture. The nursing home side is described as offering many activities, which reviewers appreciate, but the memory care side is noted to have few structured activities. This imbalance is a recurring theme and could be a meaningful area for improvement for family members seeking more consistent engagement and programming for memory care residents. Addressing activity programming parity between units would likely strengthen the facility’s overall appeal.

    Facility and maintenance-related comments are generally positive about cleanliness and nice rooms, but there are consistent notes that housekeeping could be improved and that the grounds need attention. These are operational items that stand out because they contrast with otherwise high marks for care and food; improving grounds maintenance and housekeeping consistency would help align the property’s physical appearance with its strong caregiving reputation.

    In summary, reviewers portray Shepherd Premier Senior Living as a small, well-staffed, and caring community with strong personal care, warm staff interactions, and excellent home-style dining. The primary areas to address are expanding and strengthening structured programming in the memory care unit, improving housekeeping consistency, and investing in the grounds/outdoor areas. If management focuses on these operational upgrades while maintaining the existing strengths in staffing, care quality, and dining, the facility’s overall profile would likely improve further and resolve the few recurring concerns mentioned by families and reviewers.

    Location

    Map showing location of Shepherd Premier Senior Living

    About Shepherd Premier Senior Living

    Shepherd Premier Senior Living has several locations including one in Dixon at 503 Countryside Lane and in Sterling at 2201 E Le Fevre Rd, where the homes are nestled in quiet neighborhoods and surrounded by gardens or scenic spots along the Rock River, so folks see nice views and even get to visit nearby parks when they want a little fresh air, and you'll find that each facility sticks with a smaller, boutique style which means the homes feel cozy and welcoming and there's a better staff-to-resident ratio, usually just 12 to 30 beds, so staff can be more available and residents can get help quicker. Residents can choose from different floor plans for private or semi-private rooms, and there's modern common areas for relaxing or chatting with neighbors, ADA accessible bathrooms for safety, and pet-friendly policies if a resident has a companion animal. Memory care is set up with secure wings so people with Alzheimer's or dementia stay safe, with staff keeping doors monitored and 24/7 video surveillance all around to help prevent wandering, and for anyone needing more medical attention, there's skilled nursing and rehab services with nurses or aides on hand every day. Folks living here can count on help with things like bathing, getting dressed, taking their medicine, and housekeeping, which gets done once a week, and for laundry, there's fresh linens and clean clothes. Meals are made on-site each day by chefs and planned by nutrition staff to suit older adults' needs, served three times a day family style, and guests can share a meal if families drop by. There are activities for everyone, with art classes, music therapy, outings, and a full-time activity director who organizes programs for assisted living and specialized memory care residents, so there's always something to do and folks aren't bored. There's Wi-Fi, cable TV, high-speed internet, and transportation both for outings and regular appointments. The memory care areas are set up for safety and to make sure everyone feels comfortable, and rooms are designed so people with memory issues don't feel confused. Shepherd Premier Senior Living has always been family owned and operated since 2014, and the people working there, especially nurse aides in the memory care wing, get nice reviews for being attentive and compassionate, since they know each person well and can help with what they need. Residents can get respite care if families need a break, and there's even short-term stays when primary caregivers have to be away. The homes, including the location formerly called Avonlea Cottage, stay up to date with licensing and reviews twice a year, and the care team does a personalized assessment for each new resident to see what level of care fits best. There's an enclosed courtyard for safe outdoor time, a beauty salon so residents can look nice, and everything is set up to keep life as comfortable and pleasant as possible-no frills, just honest care, a friendly staff, and a real focus on keeping folks' dignity and independence while making sure help is always nearby.

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