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The Springs at Monarch Landing offers peace of mind

It could never be said that Susan Vitale didn't do her research looking for a place for her husband, Michael, to undergo rehabilitation treatment following his stroke a year ago. "I looked at 30 places," said Susan, who found something lacking in each of them. That was until she visited The Springs at Monarch Landing in Naperville.

"From top to bottom, The Springs was amazing," she said, citing superior therapy, personal attention, atmosphere, activities, dining, housekeeping, and more at the three-year-old health center.

Residents of Brookfield, the Vitales are 45 minutes away from The Springs with no traffic, but the drive was well worth it for the peace of mind they found there. In a long, circuitous process that involved intensive care, respirators, shunts, an immediate fall at another rehab center, and even Bell's palsy, Michael was "hit with one thing after another," said Susan. His needs were great. When a social worker at Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital in Wheaton (where Michael went upon release from the ICU) suggested they look at The Springs, Susan and her daughter checked it out.

Following a few shorter stints at The Springs throughout his many complications, Michael stayed there for two and a half months after Susan realized he needed care 24/7, much more than she could give him on her own. "I immediately noticed the calmness at The Springs. No one seemed panicked, and the staff seemed so easy-going, relaxed, and had good rapport with patients," she said. Susan also noticed a better staff-to-resident ratio than she'd previously seen as well as an accommodating atmosphere, both in The Springs' beautiful physical surroundings and care from staff.

"Each individual's needs are taken into consideration at The Springs, which is huge. The staff knew my husband's quirks and special requests. They also gave him excellent speech, occupational and physical therapy. He's a healthier version of himself now that he's had that time to heal," said Susan of her 67-year-old husband, a former attorney.

In addition to outstanding care, he also benefited from the many activities at The Springs. "Michael is kind of quiet and not one to jump into things, but I encouraged him to participate in exercise class (on top of physical therapy), a men's club, trivia games, and spiritual time," said Susan, 54. While he was reluctant at first, according to his wife, Michael thanked her profusely for urging him to take advantage of The Springs' ample programming. "He was hooked and told me, 'I'm so happy you pushed me into these activities!' He especially loved the exercise class; he had more confidence and felt like a whole new person."

While Michael has been home for about a month, Susan knows that should she need respite care, The Springs will provide that, too. "We would go there again in a heartbeat. My mother lives in Florida, and if she needs me down there, it's wonderful to know that The Springs is here."

Monarch Landing is a Life Plan Community located on a scenic campus in Naperville, Illinois-named "one of America's best places to live and retire" by Modern Maturity, and "the best city for early retirement" by Kiplinger. Monarch Landing offers independent living, promoting a vibrant life style for active seniors. The Springs at Monarch Landing offers assisted living memory support, enriched living, respite, rehabilitation and skilled nursing services, thus providing complete continuing care for seniors. Monarch Landing is owned by Senior Care Development and managed by Life Care Services. For additional information visit www.WelcomeToMonarchLanding.com or www.TheSpringsatMonarchLanding.com.

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