Health Care at The Terraces at the Clare

The Clare, the stunning 53-story retirement community located in the heart of the Gold Coast on Rush and Pearson streets, has been redefining retirement living since opening its doors in 2008.

The building offers one-, two- and three-bedroom apartment homes; an extensive array of amenities, including casual and fine dining; an active social community; and a responsive, professional staff—all designed to offer the best in retirement living.

As a Continuing Care Retirement Community (also known as a Life Plan or Life Care community), The Clare also provides its residents with the security of on-site health care. Six floors of the building designated as The Terraces at The Clare offer rehabilitation, respite care, skilled nursing, assisted living and memory care. Independent living residents receive preferred access and rates for these health care services.

It surprises many people that they don’t have to be a Clare resident to take advantage of the health care services available. Area hospitals recommend The Terraces at The Clare to patients who may need rehabilitation services or long-term care. In fact, The Terraces has established a powerful alignment with Northwestern that allows access to the hospital’s labs and electronic record systems, which deliver real-time information sharing with the doctors there.

The Terraces earned multiple 5-star Medicare ratings over the years and delivers significantly more one-on-one care than other providers.

One key member of The Terraces’ staff is Transition Manager Amy Klem.

Amy was a social worker for skilled nursing residents at The Terraces at The Clare for five years before taking on her new “transition” role two years ago.

“In my position, I am the first point of contact for folks who are interested in coming to The Terraces for skilled rehabilitation,” she says. “I facilitate their admissions from either the hospital or home and see them through their rehab stay and return.”

Amy often receives many questions about The Terraces and how it works. Here, Amy answers some of the most common questions she’s asked on a regular basis.

How would you describe The Terraces at The Clare?

We have 48 beds available and two more soon to be added for short-stay rehabilitation and long-term care needs. We provide 24-hour nursing care by well-qualified Registered Nurses (RNs) who specialize in medication management and coordinate care with patients’ doctors. Our Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) assist with activities of daily living, such as dressing and bathing. We offer physical, occupational and speech therapies to help people get stronger so they can resume their prior activities. We also have a variety of clinical programs including, but not limited to, wound, respiratory and cardiac care, as well as total joint replacement care.

What differentiates healthcare at The Terraces from similar service providers?

Our smaller size allows us to take a resident-centered approach on a daily basis. Our multi-disciplinary team has the opportunity to really get to know each resident and their unique health care needs.

How do staffing levels stack up at The Terraces?

Our staffing ratios exceed state and national averages. We have a Director of Nursing, an Assistant Director of Nursing, a dietitian, a social worker and a Life Enrichment team that creates programming. That’s in addition to our RNs and CNAs. We are all led by our Associate Executive Director.

How do independent living residents at The Clare access the services at The Terraces?

Our independent living residents have priority access to the services at The Terraces at The Clare. When a resident is at the hospital, I’m in communication with their assigned hospital social worker to facilitate their transfer to The Terraces. I oversee their eventual return to their own apartment, as well.

If you’re not currently living at The Clare but are in need of healthcare services, what’s the process for being admitted to The Terraces for rehab or skilled nursing?

When someone is in the hospital, they can ask the assigned social worker or case manager to contact me at The Terraces directly at (312) 784-8026. We can then work with the social worker or case manager to review medical needs and insurance and discuss admission.

Which hospitals and service providers do you work with?

We work with a wide variety of providers. The main hospitals we tend to work with are Northwestern, RUSH, Shirley Ryan Ability Lab, University of Chicago and St. Joseph’s. We also receivereferrals from out of state and outside the country, as well as home health and hospice agencies. We are always open to working with any hospital that has a patient who might benefit from our services, too.

The Terraces: Redefining Health Care

Amy is proud of the work that The Terraces does. But she’s even prouder of the connection the staff makes with everyone who comes to The Terraces. That’s true no matter if it’s for short-term rehabilitation or long-term care.

“We have a staff that is very dedicated to our residents,” she says. “We really get to know all of the residents and their families during their stay.”

Amy acknowledges that the job comes with challenges. She says the hardest part can be “the emotional struggle.”

“We sometimes have to help the resident or their families get through very difficult times,” she says.

But the rewards are plentiful. The best perk for Amy is being in a job she finds rewarding every day.

“I love watching the progress of the residents who come from the hospital, re-cover and resume their lives,” she says. “I have seen some truly amazing recoveries over  my seven years here at The Terraces at The Clare.”

Just as The Clare redefines retirement living, The Terraces redefines the health care experience, along with its delivery and organization. What’s more, The Terraces is making a difference in the lives of patients, residents and their families.

For additional information on assisted living, skilled nursing, rehabilitative care, respite care and memory care at The Terraces at The Clare, please visit TheClare.com.