Hitz Memorial Home, at 201 Belle Street in Alhambra, Illinois, has served as a nonprofit, church-related nursing and rehab center since 1952 and has a long history in the community, focusing on care for older adults through a resident-centered, quality care approach, and it's known for a homelike environment and a culture change facility model. The facility isn't part of a multi-home chain and isn't located in a hospital, operating as its own skilled nursing facility with fully sprinklered buildings for safety. Offering 67 certified beds, the home usually serves around 45 residents, which means about two-thirds of beds are filled at any time. Hitz Memorial Home participates in both Medicare and Medicaid, and costs for Alzheimer's or dementia services can be about three times higher than other services for seniors over 65, but they do offer these memory care options along with standard nursing and assisted living supports. There's 12-16 hour skilled nursing coverage daily with 24-hour supervision, and assistance is available for activities like bathing, dressing, transferring, medication management, and non-ambulatory care, plus a 24-hour call system for emergencies. Residents get help through support programs like Medicare, Medicaid, social security disability, and caregiver programs, and both resident and family councils meet for ongoing feedback and improvement.
The facility provides independent living apartments meant for active seniors, plus amenities like furnished rooms with private bathrooms, kitchenettes, air conditioning, Wi-Fi, cable TV, and even more common spaces like an arts room, library, movie theater, game room, fitness and wellness rooms, walking paths, garden, community-sponsored activities, resident-run activities, music, and movie nights, as well as scheduled events. Housekeeping, laundry, and on-site meal programs are included, with meals prepared by a professional chef, restaurant-style dining, special meal plans for diabetes or allergies, and all-day dining for flexibility. There's support for both long-term and short-stay residents, and health inspections, nurse staffing, and quality measures are tracked for safety, though there are some noted deficiencies related to pharmacy and environmental safety. Training programs for caregivers, courses in senior home and residential assisted living, as well as state-by-state caregiver and dementia certification are available, and portals exist for family members, caregivers, and senior care companies for communication and updates. The facility gives influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations, provides transportation and parking, and has emergency alert systems throughout. Though it's not a continuing care retirement community, nor a special focus facility, Hitz Memorial Home covers a wide range of nursing, assisted living, rehab, Alzheimer's care, and support for low income seniors, and the navigation map feature helps visitors find their way.
