Citadel of Bourbonnais

Pros

• The CNAs are incredibly caring and the nurses are attentive and gentle.
• The staff are professional, well-trained, and genuinely kind and compassionate.
• The facility is clean, well-maintained, and welcoming for residents and families.
• The nursing and therapy teams provide wonderful, respectful care.
• The administration is attentive and responsive to feedback.
• The community feels like one big family, where residents feel at home.
• The care and support give families peace of mind that their loved ones are in good hands.

Cons

• It was the most horrible experience ever, with a loved one suffering at Citadel and no one caring.
• The administration reportedly blocked family visits, even requiring a code, and only relented after being challenged.
• There were warnings not to send a loved one there, with serious safety and well-being concerns.
• Frequent reports noted lost or stolen personal belongings and care described as horrible, including medical errors after admission.
• Staff were slow to call a doctor or respond to calls, and families were not promptly informed about transfers or updates.
• Some reviewers warned that dropping a loved one off at this facility could lead to lasting regret.

Review

Citadel of Bourbonnais is best suited for families seeking solid rehab and long-term care in a warm, resident-centered environment where frontline staff consistently delivers compassion, attentiveness, and regular updates. Residents who thrive here tend to value a home-like atmosphere, predictable routines, and caregivers who know their preferences and respond with kindness. This is a facility where the daily experience often feels personal and people-focused, with strong emphasis on respectful treatment and visible engagement from nurses, CNAs, and activity staff. Those who may want to consider alternatives are families prioritizing ironclad governance, airtight visitation controls, or a track record of zero concerning reviews about administration and safety. For such families, a facility with more transparent incident reporting and tighter policy discipline may be a better fit.

On the upside, Citadel consistently earns praise for cleanliness and a welcoming setting. Reviewers repeatedly note that the building is clean, well-maintained, and conducive to healing and social connection. The staff are singled out for genuine care: nurses, CNAs, and therapists described as respectful, patient, and committed to residents’ dignity. Rehab and wound-care outcomes show real, observable benefits in many cases, with families appreciating daily check-ins and proactive communication from a dedicated customer-service mindset within administration. The menu and activities also surface as strong positives, varied meals that residents enjoy, plus programs that help residents stay engaged, walk the halls, and feel involved in life at the community. In short, the location tends to deliver the everyday, practical reliability that families rely on for peace of mind.

Yet the record is not one-note. A subset of reviews paints a starkly different picture, centering on governance and safety concerns. Some families report experiences that feel mismanaged or opaque, including complaints about visitation practices and the administration’s responsiveness to family input. Other accounts describe gaps in basic operations, lost or misplaced medications, missing supplies, and in rare cases, unexplained injuries or medical errors that left families anxious about the level of oversight. A few reviews recounted dramatic conflicts with administration over access to loved ones, suggesting a perceived imbalance between policy enforcement and family involvement. While these views represent a minority of the total feedback, they underscore real risks that must be weighed, particularly for residents who require highly transparent communication and strict safety safeguards.

Those positives do offset the concerns to a meaningful degree for many residents and families who prioritize compassionate care and hands-on support. When the care team is consistently attentive, the relief for families is tangible: updates that arrive reliably, staff who listen to concerns, and a sense that the individual is treated with dignity and respect in a nurturing setting. The facility’s commitment to wound care, rehab services, and a cohesive, family-like atmosphere can create measurable quality of life gains for residents recovering from surgery or living with chronic needs. In environments where staff turnover is low and administrators are responsive, the benefit of a familiar, caring routine often stands as the decisive factor in choosing Citadel.

Prospective families should approach with a practical checklist and clear expectations. Schedule a tour with direct conversations to gauge how today’s team handles daily rounds, response times, and communication with families. Ask to see the wound-care protocol and rehab plan, and request to review the current activity calendar so the social element aligns with a loved one’s interests. Inquire about private-room availability and bathroom access, since some feedback references limited private facilities. Request to review incident logs and ask how medication management is tracked, who has oversight, and how issues are escalated. Finally, have candid discussions about visitation and privacy, clarity here matters far more than hopes.

The bottom line: Citadel of Bourbonnais delivers strong, compassionate care in a clean, well-run setting with robust rehab and wound-care capabilities. It is a compelling choice for families seeking a communal, caregiver-driven environment where residents feel known and valued. However, the facility warrants careful scrutiny for families with heightened sensitivity to administration transparency, visitation policies, and incident handling. If those governance and safety dimensions are nonnegotiable, consider alternatives that emphasize tighter oversight and more consistent family-engagement practices. For others, active engagement, clear expectations, and routine monitoring will enable Citadel to provide the dependable, heartfelt care that many families prize.

This part of Bourbonnais, Illinois offers a diverse range of amenities that cater to the needs of senior citizens. With several parks nearby, including Jurassic Park and Perry Farm Park Exploration Station, there are ample opportunities for outdoor recreation and leisure. Additionally, there is a variety of dining options such as Taco Bell, Brick Stone Brewery, and Beggars Pizza for convenient meals. Healthcare services are easily accessible with various physicians' offices and pharmacies in close proximity, ensuring prompt medical attention when needed. Hospitals like Oak Surgical Institute and Riverside Medical Center are also located nearby for any healthcare emergencies. Furthermore, cafes like Starbucks offer a relaxed environment for socializing or enjoying a cup of coffee. Places of worship such as St Joseph Youth Ministry and Southern Baptist Convention provide spiritual fulfillment and community engagement for those seeking religious affiliations. Overall, this area in Bourbonnais combines convenience, healthcare accessibility, recreation options, dining choices, and spiritual support making it an attractive location for senior living.

Parks

• Jurassic Park (0.4 miles)
• Perry Farm Park Exploration Station (0.8 miles)
• Hawkins Park (1.3 miles)
• Bird's Park (2.3 miles)

Restaurants

• Taco Bell (0.5 miles)
• Brick Stone Brewery (0.8 miles)
• Beggars Pizza (0.8 miles)
• Jimmy John's (0.8 miles)
• El Burrito Loco (1 miles)
• Wendy's (1.1 miles)
• KFC (1.2 miles)

Physicians

• Brown Professional Centre (0.8 miles)
• Riverside Medical Group - Pediatric Specialists (0.8 miles)
• Avtar K. Razdan, MD (0.8 miles)
• Main Street Opticians (0.8 miles)
• Aashish Gandhi MD (0.8 miles)
• AccuQuest Hearing Centers (0.9 miles)
• Kankakee VA Outpatient Clinic (1 miles)

Pharmacies

• Riverview Pharmacy (0.8 miles)
• Walgreens (1.7 miles)
• Riverside Family Pharmacy (2.2 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.6 miles)

Hospitals

• Da Vita (1 miles)
• Oak Surgical Institute (1.3 miles)
• Riverside Medical Center (2.2 miles)
• Provena St Mary's Hospital (2.6 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (1 miles)
• Yolks & Berries (2.2 miles)
• Starbucks (2.5 miles)
• Gathering Grounds Coffee Shop (2.6 miles)

Places of Worship

• St Joseph Youth Ministry (1.5 miles)
• Southern Baptist Convention (2.2 miles)
• First United Pentecostal Church (2.6 miles)
• God's Lighthouse Church (2.6 miles)