Winning Wheels, located on twelve wooded acres in rural Northwestern Illinois, is a private, nonprofit nursing facility licensed by Illinois's Department of Social Services for Memory Care and able to serve over 80 residents. The community looks after seniors and young adults who need help with daily living or have mobility challenges, including those with spinal cord or brain injuries, and also has specialized programs for those living with Alzheimer's or memory loss. Caregivers can assist residents with bathing, dressing, bathroom needs, grooming, and hairdressing, and the facility is secured to keep residents safe from wandering. Meals are home-cooked three times daily and staff can adjust meal plans for medical needs like high blood pressure or diabetes. There's a whole calendar of activities, such as music therapy, animal therapy, tabletop games, trips outside, exercise programs, creative groups, movie entertainment, garden spaces, community nights, and game rooms, and there are also spaces like a reading room, jacuzzi, sauna, barbershop or parlor, and fitness room.
Winning Wheels brings a team approach for each resident, with care plans made by physicians, nurses, social workers, and nutritionists, and the goal is to help each person reach their best level of independence, whether they're staying for long-term care or short-term rehab. Physical, occupational, speech, and recreational therapies are all offered, and there are two transitional care suites for those working closely with occupational therapists. Stepping Stones is the short-term rehab wing, and Rehabilitative Therapy covers everything from recovery plans to emotional support. Counseling services are available for families and residents, including patient and family counseling, vocational counseling, behavior management support, and peer and family support groups. The staff also help residents transition from facility living back to the community or their homes when possible, with home health care set up to help with the change. Hospice and respite care are available. Both private suites with their own bathrooms and showers and more traditional nursing facility rooms are on-site.
The facility offers transportation services through Winning Wheels vehicles and accepts most insurance plans, private pay, and Medicaid for short-term rehab. Admission services run twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Residents can enjoy adaptive outdoor activities as part of therapy, and a physician specialist leads the team to plan and adjust each treatment. The focus stays on keeping communication, quality, and consistent care as the center's main strengths. Hours of operation run weekdays, with administration led by Sheila Huizenga at Winning Wheels and Myriah Drolema at the connected S.T.R.I.V.E. and Frontier Hollow facilities next door in Prophetstown. The entire care program includes a full spectrum of medical, physical, emotional, and social support, always aiming to help residents build independent living skills and improve their daily lives as much as possible.
