Illini Heritage Rehab & Health Care is a publicly funded assisted-living facility and part of the larger Petersen Healthcare corporate model. According to the website, Petersen Health Care employs nearly 6000 employees and is recognized as a major partner in communities throughout Illinois, Missouri, and Indiana.

The Illini Heritage Rehab & Health facility has existed for 35 years.  It was initially located in the Catholic Charities building adjacent to its current location. Illini Heritage Rehab & Health was originally a privately funded mental health center for individuals of all ages. About 20 years ago, the focus shifted from mental health to concentrating on the elderly community, and the site moved to its present location. About eight years ago, the facility became a corporate entity owned by the Petersen Health Care Company. Since then, surprisingly little has changed in the actual infrastructure. Initiatives to beautify the facility by adding courtyards, landscape design, and new furniture have occurred several times over the years. The biggest changes have been the “behind the scenes” aspects such as funding, outreach, marketing, and staffing processes.

Petersen Health Care was founded in 1974 by James D. and Robert L. Petersen, two brothers who were both registered physical therapists. The two flagship nursing homes the Petersen brothers purchased at that time were Kewanee Home in Kewanee, Illinois, and Robings Manor located in Brighton. Today, Petersen Health Care is the largest nursing home chain in Illinois and has become the name synonymous with quality long-term care throughout the Midwest. There are over 15 different facilities associated with Petersen Health Care. Additionally, the company has even bigger plans to continue expansion bringing quality long-term care and independent living options to more seniors throughout the Midwest.

The history of technology use at Illini Heritage Health & Rehab is relatively recent. Radios, televisions, and phones have been used for as long as the facility has existed; and usage of computers and the Internet began about 10 or so years ago. The first computers in the facility were installed at the onset of the corporate model. When Petersen Health Care began to manage the facility over eight years ago, they added various desktop computers for the staff. Five years ago, wireless, networked computers were installed and the printers, scanners, and fax machines were updated. Around this time, the Illini Heritage Rehab & Health website was added to the Petersen Corporate website. This is the only Web presence currently used for the institution, although the prospect of social networking and blogging has recently been discussed. The group e-mail system was also added about three years ago. There are no other future plans to implement new and currently existing technology at the center because it is not seen as a necessity for the residents. The budget simply will not permit the introduction of any new technologies to the institution at this point in time.

This CU wiki entry began as a UIUC research project.  For more on that see Study of UC2B Anchor Institutions' Technology Use