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Page 1 of 2 CHICAGO—I love Chicago. The breathtaking skyline, the Sears Tower, Millennium Park, the dawn to dusk cultural celebrations, the all-night light displays, the jazz, the blues, the history. This is a city of cultural diversity.
I stayed in Oak Park, a suburb about 10 minutes from downtown. It’s the birthplace of Ernest Hemingway and the one-time home of Frank Lloyd Wright. First, I visited a retirement community called Mather’s Place of Wilmette. I always find it exciting and informative to speak to seniors directly so that I can learn from their diverse backgrounds and experiences.
They were an outspoken, wonderful, and pleasant group of people who were very comfortable with their current place on life’s path. Next, I met with John Lavin, president and AgeOptions, who spoke about the complexity of meeting the special needs of his widely scattered service population and the various levels and intensities of their care needs. He discussed his current programs and many others that are in the planning stages, all of which are intended to address specific elderly needs. John’s attention and long-term agenda is encouraging news for Chicagoland’s elderly. The needs of senior populations are as varied and diverse as colored glass in a cathedral. Each senior represents a unique composition of family, culture, language, history, physical, social and emotional backgrounds. It is very important that each worker or social agency assisting, helping, or interacting with seniors or their family create a program that meets the specific, unique needs of that person and their families.
Next: Facing Detroit’s elder-care issues.
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