Aging Care Connections is a non-profit organization that has been operating in the Chicagoland area since 1971. They work to help older adults age well in their homes and communities, addressing their social, emotional, physical, mental, and financial needs. They enrich the quality of life for the people they serve by providing guidance, resources, and support to older adults, caregivers and their families.
Aging Care Connections operates in 38 communities, serving seniors across Chicago’s North, West, and South suburbs. Across the service area, Aging Care Connections offers a variety of programs, centered around:
- Information and Assistance: Helping adults aged 60 and above, and individuals with disabilities aged 18 to 59, and their families navigate the care and services landscape and make informed decisions. These services include screenings, a benefits assistance program, and resource matching.
- Basic needs: Helping older adults access fundamental necessities, such as healthy food, adequate housing, and safety. These services include Adult Protective Services, Congregate Meal Dining and Special Diet Home Delivered Meals, Home Repair Assistance, and Housing Need guidance.
- Caregiver Support: Offering counseling, support groups, and respite care for those caring for older adults.
- Aging Gracefully: Connecting individuals and families with supportive services for aging in the home, including assessment of activities of daily living, transitioning between levels of care, education on in-home and community-based resources, and connecting with other services as needed.
- Enrichment: Workshops for staying fit, staying connected, and staying informed, including sessions on health and wellness, educational opportunities, socialization activities, fitness workshops, and Aging Well teams.
Aging Care Connections partners with CMSS at the West Suburban Senior Center, where they offer educational workshops, including demonstrations and presentations on healthy cooking, paint-and-sip art sessions, and ice cream socials. Additionally, they are available to provide guidance and information regarding care options, resources, and aging news to older adults and their family members in our community.
Non-profit organizations, like CMSS and Aging Care Connections, have limited resources and we can better serve the population and respond to needs when we collaborate. Together, we can pool resources, share expertise, and broaden our communication networks, helping us reach more older adults and their families, save money, and enhance innovation. Working together we also foster a sense of community and network of support, while we create opportunities for mutual growth and development. We are grateful for such incredible partnerships.
Eric Eugenio-Vironet, Executive Director of the West Suburban Senior Center says, “Aging Care Connections helps us bring new and engaging programs and activities to our senior center community and we help them by providing a space for gathering with the local community. Together we have a wealth of knowledge about senior services and resources in our area and we can provide guidance to the older adults we work with to help them age as well as possible.”
Barbara Kohley, Program Manager at Aging Care Connections adds, “We are always better together. I am grateful that this partnership fills in each other’s gaps. In serving seniors, our mission is the same. Together we do a great service in helping seniors to age well.”
