The Aging Report

Older adults fulfill vital, positive roles in our communities as family members, friends, mentors, volunteers, community leaders, advocates, members of the workforce, and much more. Especially during the pandemic, older adults were an essential source of strength and resilience. Just as every person is unique, so too is each person's aging journey. The choices we make, the experiences we have and how we face the challenges and opportunities presented impact each person's journey differently. In short, there is no “right” way to age – that’s why the theme for Older Americans Month (OAM) 2022 is Age My Way.

Every May, the Administration for Community Living (ACL) leads the celebration of OAM. This year’s theme, Age My Way, focuses on how older adults can age gracefully in their communities, living independently for as long as possible and staying engaged in the ways that they choose. Regardless of your age, we encourage you to use this month as an opportunity to explore the many ways older adults can age in place.

AgeGuide Northeastern Illinois will be holding two public hearings on Thursday, May 26 & Friday, May 27 to review the FY2023 Amendment to the FY22-24 Area Plan.

The purpose of the Public Hearings is to provide information about AgeGuide's proposed plans, budget, funding formula, and priorities. The hearings will give the general public an opportunity to comment on the plans for funding community-based services for older adults and family caregivers.

AgeGuide invites its funded partners, elected officials, aging network professionals, and members of the community to make your voice heard on its proposed service design! 

Join AgeGuide as we continue our podcast series on the impact COVID-19 had on long-term care residents and their families. In the coming weeks, we will bring you a 3-episode mini-series featuring the experiences of a very special type of advocate, an Long Term Care Ombudsman, who had a first-hand view of what was going on inside facilities during the COVID outbreak. We will hear from three Ombudsmen about their role in protecting residents’ rights, what happened to those rights during the pandemic lockdown and what we can all do to prevent a repeat of the devastating effects in the future.  

For this series, we interviewed Ombudsmen with three different roles and perspectives: Suzanne Courtheoux, Supervisory Attorney of the Ombudsman Project at Legal Aid Chicago; Darcy White, Community Ombudsman at Catholic Charities, Diocese of Joliet; and Kelly Richards, State Ombudsman for Illinois. Each of these guests was on the front lines during the lockdown and each one believes we all have a role to play in making sure residents’ rights are protected.

Follow us on your favorite streaming platform or on our website or on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. 

AgeGuide Northeastern Illinois held its 48th Annual Meeting & Luncheon on Thursday, April 28^th at Cantigny Park in Wheaton. After the Board of Directors and Advisory Council elections, appointments and recognitions, guests enjoyed remarks from AgeGuide's Chief Executive Officer, Marla Fronczak and keynote speaker, Dr. Amy Eisenstein, Senior Program Officer for the RRF Foundation for Aging.

Amy spoke with guests about promoting intergenerational programs and social connections. She emphasized the importance of programming that includes different generations and how those programs can improve the health of older adults. She also spoke about the importance of social connections and how social isolation can be detrimental to older adults.

We would like to thank everyone who attended and supported AgeGuide and our Funded Partners throughout the year! We were grateful to be able to gather in person this year after two years of virtual celebrations. 

May is Older Americans Month. What better time to make a difference for older adults? While the legislative session in Springfield wrapped up their session early this year, legislators in the nation’s capitol are just gearing up for intense budget negotiations. This is the perfect time to advocate for sustainable funding for older adults and aging services in the 2023 budget.

Check out the Illinois Department on Aging’s Aging Healthfully Newsletter (Need another language? Click here and scroll to the bottom). The Aging Healthfully newsletter provides information on healthy eating, physical activity and lifestyle changes to help older adults stay healthy and active.

Do you need a vaccine or booster against COVID-19? Do you know someone who is homebound who needs a vaccine? AgeGuide is here to help. Call us at (800) 528-2000 for more information.

At AgeGuide, we love getting social! Stay up to date with the latest news, updates and learn more about AgeGuide and our work advocating for older adults and the services they need on our social media pages!

27th Annual Senior Lifestyle Expo

August 23 & 24, 2022

We are excited to welcome back older adults to this two-day event at Drury Lane!

For more information, contact Kaitie Hauser at (630) 293-5990 or visit www.ageguide.org/seniorlifestyleexpo