Endeavor Health Linden Oaks

I was a patient here many times between 2012-2024. It has taken me many years to unpack the trauma I experienced here. Some of it as a teenager, and some as an adult. I was labeled a “frequent flyer” and I was treated differently because of it, despite me being between the ages of 15-26 during my stays here. Overall, Linden Oaks is somewhere I wouldn’t ever step foot in again. Unfortunately many psych hospitals are not great places, I do not claim that Linden Oaks is the worst. But it doesn’t make the bad things they did okay. Just to list a few situations I experienced here: - The medical director of the eating disorder unit at that time (and also my psychiatrist on that unit), Dr. Jyoti Shah, told me during my session with her that I couldn’t have the eating disorder and symptoms I was reporting, because my labs were fine. I reported it to the patient advocate and nothing was done. For years after this, I truly believed I wasn’t “sick enough” to have an eating disorder because of her. - This facility majorly broke HIPAA a few years ago. I had experienced long term trauma, but at this point in my life I was in my 20s. They took my recent ASD level 1 diagnosis as a reason I couldn’t “self report”, that I was incapable of doing so, despite me being told by the therapist there that they didn’t believe I had autism. I have no cognitive deficits or delays. They reported my situation to Adult Protective Services, but the part where they broke HIPAA was when they told my outpatient psychiatrist, without my consent. They then forced me to go into a room with a tech and call my outpatient therapist to tell her about the trauma, while the tech was sitting in the room with me, listening to confirm I told my therapist. They also forced me to tell my mom and threatened that I wouldn’t be able to discharge from the hospital until I told her. I was terrified. Since then, I have a very real fear of psych hospitals and a distrust in mental health providers that has caused long lasting damage. - At one point I was refusing to eat while inpatient, due to depression and an eating disorder. Instead of trying to help support me, they decided to move me to the severe unit of the psych hospital, where they kept more violent patients or those in active psychosis. I was on the regular psych unit when a tech told me they were going to take me off unit, which wasn’t abnormal so I didn’t question it. They then walked me to the severe unit, without telling me they were going to put me in there. When we got the door of the unit, I told them no one had told me about this and I wanted to talk to my psychiatrist there, Dr. Susan Ahmari, before I would willingly go into the unit. They told me this was not an option and then they tranquilized me and had security guards drag me into the unit and into a room with only a bed on the floor, while I was having a panic attack and crying because I didn’t understand what was happening. I was non violent the entire time. I just wanted to talk to my doctor. I was forced to stay in that unit for multiple days. One of the nurses on that unit told me that he saw cases like me a lot. If a patient on the regular psych unit essentially needed to be “scared straight”, they would send low intensity patients like me to the severe unit, to get patients to do what they wanted, in my case that was eating. I was told by the staff on that unit that I shouldn’t be there, but I was held there anyways. I was absolutely terrified because there was a frequently physically violent male patient in this extremely small unit with me. My roommate had dementia and smeared her feces all over our bathroom. All because I wouldn’t eat. These are just some examples, there were many more. I truly hope one day the doctors and Linden Oaks itself are held accountable for their actions. Please do not take this as a reason to not get help. YOU DESERVE TO GET HELP 💜 All I recommend is going in and standing up for yourself if you need to.

I don’t even know where to start. A close family member of mine — I’ll call them Alex for privacy — was admitted to this facility. Alex means a great deal to me, so I’ve made every effort to ensure they are being properly cared for. Unfortunately, my experience with Linden Oaks has been extremely disappointing from start to finish. When Alex was admitted, they were only given a hospital gown and socks to wear. After confirming with staff what personal items were allowed, I purchased approved items — slippers with backs, a sweater with no strings, basic pants, and toiletries. Despite following all the listed rules, it took nearly 48 hours for Alex to receive these items, and the pants were never provided with no explanation. Even something as simple as a book I dropped off took almost two days to reach them. Visiting hours are limited to just one hour a few days a week (6:30–7:30 p.m.). Despite always arriving early, I’m often not brought back until 10+ minutes after visiting hours begin — yet I’m still asked to leave promptly at 7:30. Communication is another major issue. Although Alex provided full authorization for staff to discuss their care with me, it’s nearly impossible to get anyone to return a call or provide meaningful updates. Calls are often redirected from one department to another, and when I finally reach someone, the common response is, “That’s not my department.” I’ve tried to get updates on important paperwork for Alex’s short-term disability — only to be told it was “probably” sent to another department, and when I asked for contact information, I was given a number that leads to an automated line with no way to reach a live person or leave a voicemail. Emails also go unanswered. My biggest concern, however, is how little consideration this facility seems to have for patients’ lives outside its walls. Alex was doing well and, according to the therapist and nursing staff, was ready for discharge. I explained that we are from out of town and had a nonrefundable flight home on Sunday evening, which their entire care team agreed would be the ideal time for release — all except one person: Dr. Ahmari, the psychiatrist. We are all supposed to be on the same team, working toward Alex’s recovery and wellbeing. However, despite every other professional involved agreeing that Alex was ready to leave, Dr. Ahmari chose to make an executive decision to hold Alex for an additional day, for what appears to be no medical reason — and what feels more like a financial decision than a clinical one. As a direct result of this, Alex missed our flight and now faces a 36-hour drive back to our home state because we cannot afford an on the spot plane ticket. This decision has made Alex’s life significantly more difficult outside of Linden Oaks — exactly as I had communicated would happen — yet Dr. Ahmari seemed entirely unconcerned with those impacts or the perspectives of the rest of the care team. This entire experience has been frustrating, disorganized, and emotionally draining. If you care about your loved one, I strongly recommend looking elsewhere for treatment. And to Linden Oaks: please don’t respond with the same generic message you post under every negative review asking people to “call or email” for follow-up. I’ve done both — many times — with no response. What this place truly needs is accountability and change.

Most of the staff are unfriendly from time you walk into this place , you can see bunch of strange faces who simply don’t care of their patients, some people are nice but rare , be careful, doctors as well pushy not nice . rudest staff , they ignore the patients, and the behavior of this people who work here are passive aggressive, many young kids who just simply don’t know anything what they are doing, this place totally needs new staff, friendly understanding staff !!! Patients don’t get better here , they come out worse .this children nurses and people in black outfits who work here only looking to sit , get paid and go home , they smile , chat , eat snacks and don’t really even talk to the patients. I have never met such ignorant staff as at this place , they treat everyone poorly with some kind of disgusting attitude, either you patient or visitor , you going to feel the nasty attitude from time you come in , scary place !

Left Linden Oaks when I was 16, and now im 30. I left in 2011. Its been 13 years and I still think about it. Something must be wrong, I think about it, and im still there. Today, however, I feel better about leaving the review and now I wish the best for them, though the hold they had on my memories were extremely bad, I would think about it weekly, for almost 13 to 14 years. I dont believe this place is worth it. My heart says it too. They wax you up but making things work outside after leaving, no, it wasnt useful or real. I honestly wish the best for them, which is something I can say after leaving this review. I contacted the lady from the hospital and said they are likely not there anymore, since it was about 12 or 13 years ago. It was strange, since I felt one of the persons there, who worked there, was talking to me, atleast in my own mind, especially for a lot of years, felt like was there, but when I was talking to the lady on the phone, he wasnt. I would say its pretty ghostly. I honestly felt better leaving the review. There are some good people there, but they are not there anymore. I often felt I needed therapy just for being at the ward over the years. I honestly wish better for them now. Wherever they are and where they are at. Its something that stayed in my mind a long time. I think one of the best things you can do is leave an honest review, which will mention more of this place. I think to them its to get you to leave, but not to return, not because they want you to get better, but because they dont want to see you or work with you anymore. Which is something I honestly think about, and can kind of see happening right now at the moment.

This was my first stay at any mental health facility at the age of 49. I suffered a sudden and unexpected loss and had an attempt which landed me in the ICU for 7 days. Following that I was transferred to Linden Oaks Naperville inpatient. The first day was terrifying and I spent most of it in my room. I just wanted to go home. The next day though and the remaining days, I came to experience the care and support that LO provides its patients every day. There is no judgement or neglect. They are extra quick with bringing you an ice ball or providing requested aromatherapy as well as model magic. I swear I must have gone through tens of those bc I loved them so much for fidgeting. Groups and therapy sessions were of utmost value, each one making me feel more sane and believing I could function again. The thing is though, you have to be willing to learn and be helped in order to gain any valuable skills from the sessions. I know I did and I left the unit feeling empowered and capable of facing reality. Forever thankful patient.

They don’t take Medicaid. Don’t come here expecting help if you have any Medicaid plans. None of their day programs take Medicaid either.

Terrible experience. Not only do they treat you like a convict and with little compassion, the health treatment is spotty. They sent me to the er only to have the doctors repeatedly ask them why they made such a poor decision.

Horrible experience. My son was admitted and from the moment he was admitted all they concentrated on was pushing him right out the door. Jillian Gomez was assigned to him. She couldn’t answer questions or explain anything, she didn’t have a real plan, there was zero communication and over all just didn’t seem like she cared at all in the end. We had the support session to discuss discharge within 48 of his admission date. I would not recommend this facility to anyone.