News and Views
(click on headline to read more)
AgeOptions Offers Economic Security Planning
Older residents of suburban Cook County who are struggling in the economic downturn now have access to a free program that assesses their economic needs and identifies ways to effectively meet them.
The AgeOptions Economic Security Planning project provides personalized financial assessments and economic security plans for adults between 55 and 75. Residents who have monthly incomes below $2,256 for one person or $3,035 for two may be eligible.
The program takes a holistic approach to economic security planning and helps clients navigate the full range of public and private services that can improve their quality of life.
Staff members will work by phone with clients, looking at each person’s needs, such as foreclosure, home repairs, job placement, health insurance, credit cards, debt management, local, state and federal benefit programs, legal assistance, health promotion and disease prevention and other services.
Clients will also receive personal assistance and follow up to ensure they actually receive the services and programs that they need in order to be more economically secure.
AgeOptions is one of eight organizations nationally to be awarded a two-year grant for an Economic Security Service Center from the National Council on Aging, with support from the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation. The Retirement Research Foundation provided matching local funding.
Economic Security Service Centers were developed through the National Council on Aging’s Economic Security Initiative, created to address the needs of older adults facing economic challenges. Since the start of the economic downturn, seniors have been encountering multiple challenges getting their health, housing, employment and personal financial needs met. In addition, many lack knowledge of benefits and financial support available to them.
To contact the Economic Security Service Center, or for more information on economic security counseling and support, call AgeOptions at (708)383-0258, or (708)524-1653 for TTY users.
Summer Low-Income Energy Assistance
Members of at-risk households in Cook County are now eligible to apply for the Summer Low-Income Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) Program. At-risk households include older adults, persons with disabilities, families with children younger than 36 months and those with medical conditions that would be aggravated by extreme heat.
The program started July 19 and will end when funds are exhausted.
Agencies throughout Cook County are taking applications. Click here for a list of the agencies, including addresses and phone numbers. Call the agency you plan to visit to find out if they are still taking applications and to get their hours.
Find a Cooling Center Near You
Summer heat is not just uncomfortable -- it can be dangerous, especially for older people. Click here for a list of cooling centers you can go to for relief.
Documents from Economic Recovery: Planning for a Strong Rebound
Click on these links for documents from the June 23 event.
Managing People During Difficult Times
Employment Law Implications of Cutting Hours, Pay and Jobs
Critical Financial Issues: Strengthening Your Not-For-Profit
Organizational Capacity Building
Illinois Partners for Human Service
Take Charge of Your Health: Live Well, Be Well
Click here for class locations, times and registration information.
Take Charge of Your Health is a free program open to all older adults who want to learn to thrive, not simply survive, with chronic health conditions. An interactive series of six workshops, it is offered continually throughout suburban Cook County.
Take Charge of Your Health uses the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program developed by Stanford University. Trained class leaders help participants learn to cope with fatigue, frustration, pain and isolation that may be related to ongoing health conditions. Class members also learn about exercise, nutrition, using medications, communicating with family, friends and health professionals, evaluating new treatment options and problem-solving around their ongoing health condition.
Participants set their own goals and report gaining confidence and new ideas from others in the class. They also report feeling better, getting relief from pain, fatigue and other symptoms, having more energy, being more confident and in control of their lives and feeling connected to others with similar issues.
To join a class or for more information on Take Charge of Your Health, including classes offered in languages other than English, contact Maria D. Oquendo-Scharneck, AgeOptions Health and Diversity coordinator, (708)383-0258, maria.oquendo-scharneck@ageoptions.org.
This program is made possible through a grant from the U.S. Administration on Aging via the Illinois Department of Public Health.
[ Back to Top ]
Senior Community Service Employment Program
AgeOptions offers the Senior Community Service Employment Program for low-income adults age 55 and over. Participants receive on-the-job training and guidance in workforce skills to improve their qualifications and increase their opportunities. Click here to go to the CBS 2 story and video about this program.
This link opens a larger video-only version of the story.
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren
At a time when many grandparents are struggling to make sure they can retire, the challenges for those thrust into the role of parents can be extreme.
AgeOptions wants grandparents (and other non-parent relatives age 55 and older) raising children to know about the services and resources available to them.
Through AgeOptions and its partner agencies in suburban Cook County, grandparents can receive support in providing a safe and loving home for their grandchildren and taking care of themselves in the process. For example, caregiver specialists can help them apply for benefits, including child-only Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, which many don’t know is available to them. They can also help with school enrollment and education issues.
Other services include support groups for grandparents and other older relatives raising children, and a limited amount of financial assistance. AgeOptions and its network of community agencies also provides free assistance with the various legal matters that relatives raising children encounter, such as guardianship and adoption issues.
“Grandparents who step in to raise grandchildren provide an invaluable service in our community,” said Jonathan Lavin, AgeOptions CEO. “They deserve our support in providing stable care for children whose parents are unable to do so. The services custodial grandparents provide drastically reduce financial and capacity strain on the foster care system. AgeOptions and our network partners can support grandparents through the legal, emotional, financial and other stresses associated with raising grandchildren.”
Grandparents and other older relatives raising children are encouraged to call AgeOptions at for individualized information and assistance. Phone numbers are: (708)383-0258, (800)699-9043 and TTY(708)524-1653.
Help Paying for Your Prescription Drugs
There are programs for older adults and persons with disabilities to help pay for prescription drugs. Help is available in person or over the phone. You can apply for the same programs throughout the year.
Illinois Cares Rx provides state prescription assistance to people with and without Medicare. More information, including application materials, can be found at www.illinoiscaresrx.com/.
[ Click here to go to illinoiscaresrx.com ]
If you have limited income and assets, you may qualify for extra help with the costs of your prescription drugs. The Social Security Administration (SSA) and Medicare are working together to give you this extra help.
[ Click here to learn more about Extra Help ]
Elder Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation Is a Silent Epidemic
Most cases of elder abuse, neglect and financial exploitation never make the news. In fact, most are never even reported to authorities or agencies that could help the older adult who is living in fear of physical abuse, who has lost his or her life savings to a relative or “friend,” or who is left alone, dirty and uncared for.
Last year more than 10,000 incidents of elder abuse, neglect and financial exploitation were reported in Illinois. In suburban Cook County, 1,765 reports are projected for the fiscal year ending June 30. But very few older adults who have been abused, neglected or exploited get the help they need. Experts estimate that 10 cases go unreported for every one that is.
In the current economy, even more older adults are at risk of abuse and exploitation. Family members who have lost their jobs and/or homes may have to move in with them, resulting in stress that may lead to abuse. In addition, family or friends in financial distress may drain the older person’s resources.
Very few victims report mistreatment, which means they don’t get the help they need, according to Katie Schmit, elder rights specialist at AgeOptions. Older people may be embarrassed or ashamed to reach out for help, be afraid reporting will lead to more abuse or think they have to tolerate abuse because they can’t care for themselves. They can be anyone, anywhere. Elder abuse affects seniors across all socio-economic groups, cultures and races.
Victims may be the man who doesn’t know where to turn. Other than his son, there is no one to take care of him. He would do anything to avoid going to a nursing home, so he lives in fear that someday his son will kill him. With the help of community agencies, victims like this man can break free from an abuser’s control, reunite with family and friends they have been isolated from and even live independently in their communities.
And victims may be the woman who is alone, fearful and confused when a “good Samaritan” moves in and gains her trust and her bank account. On a busy Friday afternoon, this new best friend takes her to the bank where she withdraws all her funds. The woman doesn’t see her friend or her money again.
Help is available, not only for victims, but for caregivers overwhelmed by the responsibilities, demands, stress and expenses of caring for an older person. For information or to speak to an expert about elder abuse, neglect and financial exploitation, as well as options for care of an older adult, contact Katie Schmit, AgeOptions Elder Rights Specialist, (708)383-0258 or katie.schmit@ageoptions.org.
Victims and anyone who observes or suspects abuse, neglect or financial exploitation of an older person is urged to call the Illinois Elder Abuse Hotline, (866)800-1409 or (888)206-1327 for TTY users.
Elder Abuse, Neglect and Financial Exploitation Fact Sheet
(Click Here)
Join the AgeOptions Advisory Council
AgeOptions is seeking individuals to join its Advisory Council. Members of the Council provide insight into aging-related developments in their communities. They also advise AgeOptions on its Area Plan on Aging which outlines how the agency will use federal and state funds to provide services to older adults and their caregivers.
Membership in the Advisory Council is open to residents of suburban Cook County, including:
- Older individuals who are participants or who are eligible to participate in programs for older adults
- Representatives of older adults
- Local elected officials
- Providers of veterans’ health care
- The general public
The Advisory Council’s responsibilities include assisting in development of the Area Plan on Aging by identifying needs of older persons through:
- Publicizing and conducting “needs of the elderly” hearings and public hearings on the plan
- Visits to program sites
- Identifying gaps or deficiencies in services
- Identifying resources for new or continuing programs
Advisory Council members also help with implementation of the Area Plan on Aging by increasing community awareness about services and providing feedback on service provision by agencies that AgeOptions funds in their community.
For more information on the Advisory Council and application forms, please contact Ilona Tabernacki at AgeOptions, (708)383-0258, or hr@ageoptions.org.
AgeOptions Makes Meal Programs Available to More Seniors With Federal Stimulus Funds
AgeOptions, is using the $626,850 in federal stimulus funds it received through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to expand existing nutrition programs for older adults and start new ones.
AgeOptions funds and oversees community programs that provide home-delivered meals and senior dining programs. The stimulus dollars were allotted to 21 meal programs, some of them new and others that are expansions of current programs, such as delivering weekend meals or providing a second meal each day.
A major goal of AgeOptions has been to establish nutrition sites for Hispanic older adults that would serve culturally appropriate meals. When the agency received the stimulus funds, it contacted organizations that focus on ethnic programs, inviting them to submit proposals. The result is the first group dining programs funded by AgeOptions that are designed specifically for Hispanic seniors.
St. Charles Borromeo Parish and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish recently started providing hot meals for Hispanic older adults living in Melrose Park, Stone Park, Northlake, Bellwood and Forest Park.
“We have a growing senior Hispanic community here at St. Charles Borromeo and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel,” Alexander Sanchez, business manager for the parishes, wrote in his proposal. “Because of this we are starting to realize that there is a lack of services in the area that target specifically the Spanish speaking seniors.”
Sanchez didn’t expect such a large and quick response, but the program reached its 35-person capacity almost immediately. “If we had space for a hundred, it would fill up fast,” he said, noting that about 400 people attend each of three Spanish-language Masses every Sunday.
Since the parishes don’t have food preparation facilities, they contracted with a nearby restaurant, Los Comales, to provide lunches five days a week. As with all senior nutrition programs, an AgeOptions dietitian works with the restaurant to develop nutritionally sound meals that meet federal guidelines.
The program is also meeting another AgeOptions objective for senior dining programs: socialization. “I think socialization is the biggest part,” Sanchez said. “Most of the seniors live with their children and when they go to work and the grandkids are back in school, they’re home alone. The biggest part of this is that it gives them something to do and something to look forward to.”
Adriana Tafolla, coordinator of the seniors program at the parishes, says the participants are “having a great time. They’re talking to each other and giving each other their phone numbers.” She wants to eventually have activities for them.
In Palatine Township, the Senior Citizens’ Council is starting a restaurant voucher program at Los Arcos Tacqueria in Palatine, also targeting Hispanic seniors. Wheeling Township received funding from AgeOptions for a group dining program targeting Hispanic, Korean and Polish older adults.
Some of the nutrition programs that expanded with the federal stimulus money already provide ethnically appropriate meals. Xilin in Arlington Heights and Streamwood aims its services at Asian older adults; Metropolitan Asian Family Services serves Indians and Pakistanis.
Federal stimulus funds are available only between July 1, 2009, and September 30, 2010. AgeOptions hopes to work with some of the temporary programs to find ways for them to continue.
Nutrition Programs Provided Through ARRA Funding
Ethnic Sites
Palatine Township – New three-day-a week restaurant program targeting low-income Hispanic older adults
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish – New five-day site targeting Hispanic older adults in Melrose Park
Ford Heights Community Service Organization – New four-day-a week dining and weekend meal packages targeting low-income African-American older adults
Wheeling Township – New three-day a week site targeting Hispanic, Korean and Polish older adults
Xilin – Expansion providing extra day at each site targeting Asian older adults
Metropolitan Asian Family Services – New boxed dinner meal to take home three days a week; expansion from lunch program
New Sites in Priority Areas
Seniors Assistance Center – New three-day-a week Norwood site at Vince’s restaurant
North Shore Senior Center – New three-day-a week site at Northfield Senior Center
Expansion of Current Programs
Council for Jewish Elderly – Shelf stable meals; new second meals five days a week for clients determined to be in need
Grand Prairie – New weekend meals for all client
Oak Park Township – Shelf stable meals; a cold meal for the weekend delivered with the Friday meal
South Suburban Senior Services of Catholic Charities – Second meals five days a week. Volunteers will make cold box dinners that will be delivered with the noon meal
West Suburban Senior Services – New weekend meals and shelf stable meals for all home delivered meals clients; new take-home weekend meals for group dining clients
Aging Care Connections – New home delivered meals for areas with only frozen meals and for clients with very special diets
North Shore Senior Center – New gap-filling meals for clients receiving home delivered meals
Helping Older Adults Survive the Recession
The links below provide information and resources on economic issues faced by older adults.
A list of links to several helpful websites
What to Do if You Can't Pay a Bill
Sample Foreclosure Court Documents
Legal Remedies to Protect Cognitively Impaired Adults
The AgeOptions 2010 Area Plan on Aging (Click Here)
This document summarizes the 2010 amendment to the AgeOptions Area Plan on Aging for Fiscal Years 2008-2010, outlining our use of federal and state funds to provide services to older adults and their caregivers in suburban Cook County. We reissue this public information document in the spring of each year to provide detailed information for the upcoming year.
We are very interested in receiving feedback about our plan, especially from older adults. We will consider changes to our Area Plan based on the comments or questions we receive.
[ Back to Top ]
Illinois' mass transit funding plan requires mass transit agencies statewide to allow older adults, age 65 and older, to use main line and fixed route public transit service for free.
Persons aged 65 and older are eligible, but must register for this service. CTA, Pace, and Metra services began providing free service in March 2008.
A senior who uses public transportation twice a week could save $176 a year on CTA fares, $156 a year on Pace fares and $405 a year on Metra fares. There are approximately 1.3 million seniors living in communities across Illinois that have mass transit service.
For more details or to register for free rides, visit www.illinois.gov/transit or call 1-800-252-8966.
[ Click here to visit www.illinois.gov/transit ]
[ Back to Top ]