"I feel safe here" | Susanne Moore

When health issues began to affect Suzanne Moore’s independence, she and her family knew it was time for a change. What she found at Park Place of Elmhurst wasn’t just assistance, it was a community and a sense of belonging.

“I lived in Florida for 28 years,” Suzanne says. “I had good friends, but the medical care just wasn’t what I needed.” After a series of falls and a broken hip, she returned to Illinois and found Park Place of Elmhurst.

She began in skilled nursing and rehab, where the care team helped her get back on her feet. “My physical therapists, Sam and Ivon, were amazing,” she says. “If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t be walking today. Sam knew how to push me. He even had my CNA strip my bed after a session so I wouldn’t crawl back in it! He understood how to work with me.”

Suzanne transitioned from skilled nursing into Assisted Living and enjoys her bright apartment with a view of the flowering trees she loves. “I’ve got the same view from my bedroom and my living room. It’s gorgeous,” she says. 

She starts her mornings with hallway walks and a stationary bike ride, followed by seated exercises. “Kayla leads our ‘Sit and Be Fit’ class, and it’s wonderful,” Suzanne says. “It’s stretching, strengthening, even yoga-like movements. It’s so important to keep moving.”

More than the physical recovery, though, it’s the emotional transformation that’s stayed with her. “When I first arrived, I was in a bad place. Physically and mentally,” she says. “I didn’t want to talk to anyone. I wanted to stay in my room. But now? I play cards, I paint, and I make handmade greeting cards for my grandsons. I’ve even helped teach other residents how to play Mexican Train.”

Suzanne’s love for creativity has blossomed at Park Place. “I never thought in a million years I’d be doing arts and crafts,” she laughs. “But we’ve made decorations, painted signs, and even arranged flowers for Mother’s Day.”

When it comes to daily living, Suzanne says it’s the little things that make the most significant difference. “The food is good and that matters a lot to me,” she says with a grin. “And I don’t have to dress up just to go play cards or get lunch. It’s casual, comfortable, and friendly here. That’s what I love.”

Family ties were also a deciding factor. Her son lives nearby, as do two of her sisters. “That was important,” she says. “I wanted to be somewhere where they don’t have to schedule appointments to see me, they just come.”

Safety, too, is top of mind. “I feel safe here,” Suzanne says. “If something’s wrong, there’s always someone to help. When I had a respiratory scare recently, the staff handled everything right here, no ER trips, no waiting rooms, no guesswork. They brought in a specialist, reviewed my records, and provided me with what I needed. That peace of mind is priceless.”

When asked what she’d tell someone considering a move to Park Place, Suzanne doesn’t hesitate. “If you’re looking for a warm, caring, clean place where people listen and you're part of something, this is it,” she says. “I’m not looking to go home. I am home.”