Eye on LSSI, Summer 2005

“When I moved here — a stranger among strangers — I was anxious about the social experience of sitting down for dinner at night with people I didn’t know anything about,” says Frank Bergen, a resident of Peterson Meadows in Rockford.

But now, after living there since the fall of 2004, he says, “The residents are the greatest assets Peterson Meadows has. They are friendly and kind, and help one another.”

Ruth Lukawski, Peterson Meadows marketing coordinator, agrees. She says, “When I take people on a tour, I hear the same three comments: how bright, how clean and how friendly Peterson Meadows is.”

Located on 34 acres on the southeastern side of Rockford, Peterson Meadows is a retirement community operated by Lutheran Social Services of Illinois (LSSI). About 140 residents live in apartments or duplexes within the community. Presently, there are 75 apartments, ranging from 440-square foot studios to 1,070-square foot two-bedroom units. In addition, 40 duplex units of 1,150 square feet are sprinkled around the campus. The number of units will increase with the planned expansion currently taking place.

One of those strangers at dinner who became one of Frank’s friends is John Manning.

“It’s amazing how sharp the people in this place are — the residents, that is,” says John, who has been living in one of the apartments since the beginning of September 2004. “The staff is very accommodating,” he adds.

John decided to move to a retirement community after his wife Lil became ill and moved to P.A. Peterson, a long-term care nursing facility in Rockford that is also an LSSI program. “The house was big for the two of us,” he says, “and I was also looking at some medical problems. So I wanted to move to an apartment setting.”

John’s son and daughter helped him in his search and “once I checked this place out, I said ‘This is the place,’” he remembers.

Decision to Move in “Very Easy”

Frank also chose Peterson Meadows after doing some research. He says that the decision to move to Peterson Meadows “was very easy.” He and his wife Lynn decided to look at retirement communities and spent the fall of 2003 visiting all of them in the Rockford area, most of them at least two times.

“It was an easy decision,” he says. “Peterson Meadows seemed to be the most attractive one we saw.”

Sadly, his wife died in 2004, so Frank was alone when he moved into his apartment. But he easily made friends and became involved in some of the various activities offered at Peterson Meadows.

“I find the activities more beneficial than I anticipated,” he says. “We have excellent groups that paint and do ceramics and other crafts. Instructor Pat Johnson is our intrepid cheerleader.”

Frank also enjoys trips to various entertainment venues, including the Fireside Theatre in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin. He is also involved in an effort to start a pool league. “We’re still working on that,” he says with a grin.

Both Frank and John live in apartments in the three-story main building. A one-story building connected to the main building is the hub for the community’s activities. It includes dining rooms, exercise, craft and computer rooms, a library, a parlor and alcoves for small get-togethers.

“One of the most popular areas is the Meadow Mart, which offers residents the opportunity to purchase breakfast and lunch,” says Lukawski. While all of the units have kitchens, residents of the apartments have a main meal once a day included in their monthly fee. (Residents make an initial buy-in payment and then pay a monthly fee.)

Couple Chooses the Cottage Lifestyle

Nancy Meyer and Bob Culbertson live in one of the cottages on the Peterson Meadows campus.

“We had a nice condo that we lived in for 22 years,” Nancy says. “We didn’t mind going up and down the stairs for the first 20 years.”

When the couple decided to move, they “didn’t want anything larger than their condo,” Nancy says. But they also were looking for a cottage-type residence, and not too many retirement communities in Rockford offered cottages. Peterson Meadows did, and the community fit the bill for them in other ways. The couple moved in early in October 2004.

“I like the quiet,” Bob says about Peterson Meadows. “And I like everyone that I have met here.” He especially likes the birthday party held once a month, which offers cake, conversation and usually some sort of music or other type of entertainment.

Nancy said that the couple first visited Peterson Meadows to visit some friends. “I remember thinking, ‘It’s beautiful here, but I don’t think I could live with all those roses!’” she says.

The roses are just one of the features of the grounds. The wide-open campus area includes walking paths, a gazebo and even gardens for those who want to exercise their green thumbs.

Nancy is also enthusiastic about the bus transportation available to take residents to the symphony and other places. “It is just wonderful,” she says.

Beautiful Grounds, Location Attract Residents

Dorothy Blackledge moved to an apartment in Peterson Meadows nine years ago. She had retired to her hometown of Belvidere, but decided that the upkeep to her house was getting to be too much.

“So, I started looking around,” she says. “At that time, there weren’t many retirement communities in the area. But when I walked into this place, with its beautiful grounds, I said, ‘That’s it.’”

“And over the years, I have discovered that the community is just as beautiful [as the grounds],” she adds.

Peterson Meadows’ location close to Belvidere also attracted Dorothy, who is involved in volunteer work in her hometown. The community is also located in a part of Rockford that is convenient to shops and restaurants, and “alive with commercial business,” Lukawski notes.

A single person, Dorothy says that for someone who has been independent all her life, the sense of being cared for in the community can be a double-edged sword. “I welcome that sense of caring,” she says, “but I want more explanations about why things are the way they are.”

She is particularly happy that Peterson Meadows has a full-time director available to help answer her questions and explain things. She also noted that the community has a residents’ council that works with management and brings any concerns to management’s attention.

Dorothy also enjoys the many activities that Peterson Meadows offers, including opportunities to hear the local symphony and see plays, as well as going on mystery trips where “we don’t know where we are going.” There’s also a “movers and shakers” group for those who want to exercise, as well as bridge clubs, ladies’ breakfasts and a “Red Hat” group.

Comfortable, Maintenance-Free Homes

In short, Peterson Meadows offers its residents comfortable, maintenance-free housing, built-in companionship and lots of ways to keep active. Residents enjoy housekeeping, maintenance and repair services; one main meal; 24-hour security; all utilities except telephone (duplex residents pay gas and electric charges); and transportation to medical appointments, as well as outings and shopping trips.

In addition, residents receive up to 60 days in P.A. Peterson Center for Health if needed, and have priority access to it. P.A. Peterson offers 24-hour-a-day nursing services to older adults, including intermediate and skilled nursing care; short-term and outpatient rehabilitation; assisted living; and specialized Alzheimer’s disease care.

Finally, LSSI’s Intouch Home Care Services has an office at the facility and offers residents fee-based, home-care services, such as assistance with daily personal care, meal planning and companionship.

Underground parking is available for residents living in the main building. Pets are allowed on the campus, although dogs are not allowed in the main building. And Peterson Meadows has a full-time activity director, Stacy Hirsch, who coordinates in-house programming as well as trips and other outings.

For more information on Peterson Meadows, contact Ruth Lukawski at 815/229-0390.