Some senior services shift from Grundy County Health Department to Catholic Charities

A network of agencies is making services available to the more than 7,500 senior citizens who reside in Grundy County, with some programs recently shifting from the Grundy County Health Department’s senior division to Catholic Charities through the Diocese of Joliet.

The agencies have been working to create a seamless transition, said Tania Schwer, who has been the Grundy County Health Department’s director of senior programs for 10 years and was just appointed public health administrator. She had served as interim administrator since September while a nationwide search was underway.

The four services that moved over to Catholic Charities include assistance in Medicare enrollment, license plate discounts, flexible community spending programs, and information and assistance.

The changeover followed a competitive grant application process for AgeGuide Northeastern Illinois, Schwer said. It’s one of 622 Area Agencies on Aging throughout the U.S.

“Many applied, as did we,” Schwer said of her department. “The decision was made to allot the funds to Catholic Charities.”

Schwer’s senior division continues to offer the Community Care Program, she said. Its mission is to help older adults who might otherwise need nursing home care to remain in their homes by providing in-home and community-based services.

She said a care coordinator will visit a senior at home to assess their needs and arrange for the appropriate services. They can range from adult day services to home-care aides, emergency home response services and automated medication dispensers. The goal is to help seniors maintain their independence by providing cost-effective alternatives to nursing home placement.

The Community Care Program is available to people age 60 or older who are U.S. citizens or eligible noncitizens and who have nonexempt assets of $17,500 or less (one’s home, car and personal furnishings are classified as exempt assets); the amount is doubled for married individuals.

“It’s part of my responsibility to make sure the aging population – and that’s everyone, including 5-year-olds – are aware that resources exist,” Schwer said. “When you make decisions on how you’d like to age, [we want to make] you feel well-informed. … All of us are really working collaboratively, and it’s because we are in the social service sector to help.”

To reach the Grundy County Health Department’s senior division, call 815-941-3404.

Leanne Gregoire, Catholic Charities South director of aging and disability services, describes the four newly acquired programs that her team is now handling for Grundy County residents ages 60 and older, plus people with disabilities.

Under the information and assistance program, they educate people on what services are out there, she said.

“If individuals need more tangible assistance applying for assistance, we’ll help them with the application or, with their permission, connect them with another agency,” Gregoire said. “They express their need, [and] our response is to figure out what we have to do to meet that need.”

Help extends to navigating Medicare enrollment and Medicaid. Catholic Charities also will submit applications for license plate discounts for eligible people, Gregoire said; criteria include age, disability status and income.

She said some services also are available to younger adults with disabilities ages 18 to 59.

The flexible community spending programs can provide emergency access to funds for a variety of needs, such as paying a past-due rent or utility bill; unforeseen expenses such as a broken washer or dryer; and household modifications to improve safety, such as grab bars or fixing a porch railing, Gregoire said. In some cases, assistance also can go to the caregivers of older adults.

Also available is funding for respite care for caregivers.

“If a spouse is taking care of a partner [and] misses going to church on Sunday or needs a break, [the program will provide] in-home care or facility care to give that caregiver a break,” Gregoire said.

It also applies to kinship caregivers, such as older relatives raising nonbiological kids, such as grandchildren, or an aunt raising her niece or nephew.

Gregoire also highlights the Senior Companion Program, designed to provide companionship for an older adult, whether it’s going out for lunch, playing cards or doing puzzles. The volunteers are 55 and older, Gregoire said, noting that the program can give the caregiver a period of respite. Along those lines, the Friendly Visiting Program provides visits throughout the week or the option of phone calls instead.

“The goal of both is to reduce that social isolation and keep people connected and engaged,” Gregoire said.

Available is individual counseling for caregivers, as well as support groups, education groups and connection to added resources.

“It’s pretty open-ended what we’re able to assist with,” Gregoire said. “We do our best to meet the most pressing needs. The first goal is to keep people independent and safe and living in their own home in the community.”

New transportation service

Catholic Charities announced that the expansion of its aging and disability services division includes a new, curb-to-curb transportation program for older adults in Grundy County after its launch in Kankakee and Will counties. The program provides eligible individuals with a limited number of round-trip rides within their county to help them meet their social, emotional or medical needs. Transportation for medical appointments outside of the county also is available. Gregoire said there’s flexibility in the rides program on a case-by-case basis.

“We piloted [the transportation] program in Kankakee and Will county with COVID funding,” Gregoire said. “It was very successful and widely used by our seniors, [so we] applied for permanent funding.”

Catholic Charities invites people to make appointments to meet face to face for care assessments. For more information, contact 815-523-9918 (for Grundy County, press 3) or agingservices@cc-doj.org.

“We really view that as a centralized hub or a common point of entry,” Gregoire said of the phone and email contacts. “We really try to uphold [there’s] no wrong door. Even if we don’t offer a service, we make sure we connect that caller with the appropriate entity. We encourage anybody to call to connect with services, whether we provide them or not. The whole concept is to connect.”