Du Page Senior Citizens Council

DSCC PROVIDES SERVICES THAT PROMOTE THE ABILITY OF OLDER PEOPLE TO LIVE THEIR LIVES IN DIGNITY.

DSCC'S AND KSC'S NUTRITION SERVICES INCLUDE HOME DELIVERED MEALS (MEALS ON WHEELS) AND COMMUNITY DINING. MEALS ON WHEELS ARE PACKED AND DELIVERED TO FRAIL AND HOMEBOUND OLDER PEOPLE BY DSCC/KSC STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS. OLDER ADULTS RECEIVE FRESH, HOT, AND READY-TO-EAT MEALS EACH WEEKDAY AND A FROZEN MEAL FOR THE WEEKEND AND HOLIDAYS. ADDITIONALLY, DSCC/KSC PROVIDES SHELF-STABLE MEALS TO HAVE ON HAND FOR EMERGENCIES. EACH MEAL IS EQUIVALENT TO 1/3 OF THE DIETARY REFERENCE INTAKE FOR ADULTS 60 AND OVER. DSCC/KSC HAS SEVERAL COMMUNITY DINING LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT DUPAGE COUNTY AND KANE COUNTY, WHERE OLDER PEOPLE CAN GATHER TOGETHER AND SHARE A MEAL. IN ADDITION TO A NUTRITIOUS MEAL, THE COMMUNITY DINING SERVICE OFFERS OLDER PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SOCIALIZE WITH THEIR PEERS, PARTICIPATE IN ACTIVITIES, AND RECEIVE VALUABLE HEALTH AND WELLNESS INFORMATION. COMMUNITY DINING WAS SUSPENDED DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC STARTING IN MARCH 2020. DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, DSCC/KSC IMPLEMENTED BE OUR GUEST 5-PACK FROZEN MEAL PICK-UP EVENTS. DSCC/KSC PROVIDED MEALS TO OLDER ADULTS WHO HAVE NOT RECEIVED DSCC/KSC SERVICES BUT ARE PRONE TO FOOD INSECURITY BECAUSE OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND THE SUBSEQUENT SHELTER IN PLACE ORDER.ADDITIONALLY, DSCC/KSC PROVIDES HEALTH & WELLNESS EDUCATION FOR HOME DELIVERED MEALS AND COMMUNITY DINING PARTICIPANTS ON TOPICS PERTINENT TO OLDER ADULT LIFESTYLES. LAST YEAR, DSCC/KSC SERVED APPROXIMATELY 6,060 OLDER ADULTS THROUGH 491,250 HOME DELIVERED MEALS & COMMUNITY DINING/5-PACK. FEDERAL AND STATE GRANTS CONSIST OF OLDER AMERICANS ACT (RECEIVED THROUGH THE AGE GUIDE, FORMERLY NORTHEASTERN ILLINOIS AREA AGENCY ON AGING) AND EMERGENCY FOOD & SHELTER PROGRAM (EFSP) (RECEIVED THROUGH THE UNITED WAY).

HOME MAINTENANCE PROGRAM: DSCC'S HOME/YARD & SOCIAL ISOLATION SERVICES INCLUDE MINOR HOME REPAIRS, CONTRACTOR REFERRALS, FRIENDLY VISITS/PHONE CALLS (TELEPHONE REASSURANCE), AND YARD CLEAN-UPS. DSCC'S SKILLED AND KNOWLEDGEABLE STAFF PROVIDE LOW-COST MINOR HOME REPAIRS THAT ASSIST OLDER PEOPLE WITH ESSENTIAL HOME UPKEEP AND MAINTENANCE. TYPICAL EXAMPLES ARE INSTALLING DOOR HANDLES WITH LEVER-TYPE HANDLES, SHELVING, CAULKING WINDOWS, REPLACING WEATHER STRIPPING, REPAIRING WALLS, INSTALLING NEW WINDOW LOCKS, AND REPLACING BROKEN LOCKS AND DEADBOLTS ON DOORS. ADDITIONAL SERVICES THAT HELP ENHANCE THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF OLDER PEOPLE BY HELPING PREVENT IN-HOME INJURIES: INSTALLING WHEELCHAIR RAMPS, BATH BENCHES, GRAB BARS, NON-SLIP STRIPS IN THE BATHTUB, AND CARBON MONOXIDE AND SMOKE DETECTORS AS REPAIRING AND REINFORCING WALKWAY STEPS AND STAIR RAILINGS. IN CASES WHERE HOMES REQUIRE LARGER REPAIR SERVICES, DSCC OFFERS ASSESSMENTS AND PROVIDES CONTRACTOR REFERRALS. DUE TO COVID-19 MINOR HOME REPAIRS ARE HANDLED ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS.DSCC STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS ASSIST OLDER PEOPLE WITH VARIOUS OUTSIDE CHORES SUCH AS RAKING LEAVES, GARDENING, TRIMMING SHRUBS, AND OTHER YARD TASKS. THIS ASSISTANCE ENABLES OLDER PEOPLE TO KEEP UP WITH HOMEOWNERSHIP TASKS AND INCREASES THEIR ABILITY TO REMAIN IN THEIR HOMES.THE AGING PROCESS RESULTS IN MULTIPLE CHALLENGES FOR OLDER PEOPLE - MEDICAL, PHYSICAL, AND MENTAL. HOWEVER, SOMETIMES THEY NEED SOMEONE TO SPEND A LITTLE TIME WITH THEM TO MAKE THEM FEEL THEY MATTER AND PREVENT ISOLATION. OUR FRIENDLY VISITS/PHONE CALLS (TELEPHONE REASSURANCE) SERVICE DOES JUST THAT. VOLUNTEERS CHECK IN TO SAY HELLO, CHECK ON HOW THEY ARE DOING. THIS SERVICE IS PROVIDED IN DUPAGE COUNTY ONLY.LAST YEAR, DSCC PROVIDED 750 HOME/YARD SERVICES TO APPROXIMATELY 300 OLDER ADULTS AND CONDUCTED 7,000 FRIENDLY VISITS/PHONE CALL HOURS WITH APPROXIMATELY 200 OLDER ADULTS.

WELL-BEING CHECK SERVICE: DSCC/KSC'S WELL-BEING CHECK SERVICE IS AN "ADDED-VALUE" SERVICE PROVIDED WITH ALL OF THE SERVICES DSCC/KSC PROVIDES. DSCC/KSC'S WELL-BEING CHECK IS A FORMALIZED SYSTEM THAT ALERTS OUR STAFF TO ANY OBSERVED CHANGES IN A PERSON'S PHYSICAL OR MENTAL HEALTH OR ANY OBSERVED HOUSEHOLD ISSUES THAT MAY ENDANGER SOMEONE. AN EMERGENCY FOLLOW-UP PROCEDURE IS IN PLACE FOR ANY CLIENT WHO WAS EXPECTED TO BE AT HOME. DSCC/KSC COLLABORATES WITH MUNICIPAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS, FIRE DEPARTMENTS/DISTRICTS, AND THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT TO ACCOUNT FOR EVERY "MISSING" OLDER PERSON BY THE END OF EACH BUSINESS DAY. OUR WELL-BEING CHECKS ARE AMONG THE MOST VITAL ASPECTS OF OUR SERVICES AND HAVE BEEN CREDITED WITH SAVING NUMEROUS LIVES. ADDITIONALLY, DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, DSCC/KSC CONTINUED TO CONDUCT OUR DAILY WELL-BEING CHECK. THE WELL-BEING CHECK PROCESS WAS MODIFIED TO LIMIT PHYSICAL CONTACT BETWEEN OLDER ADULTS AND VOLUNTEERS OR STAFF TO PROTECT THOSE WE SERVE. FOR OUR MEALS ON WHEELS SERVICE, DSSC VOLUNTEERS OR STAFF PLACED THE MEAL ON THE PORCH OR STOOP, STEPPED BACK, AND WAITED UNTIL THEY SAW THE OLDER ADULT ANSWER THE DOOR AND COLLECT THE MEAL. LAST YEAR, DSCC/KSC PERFORMED 300,000 WELL-BEING CHECKS.

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