OAK
PARK, Ill., May 1, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- As the aging network across America celebrate Older
Americans Month in May, AgeOptions, the principal source of
information about older adult services in suburban Cook
County, wants to make sure that older adults and unpaid
caregivers are aware and taking advantage of the various programs
and services available through its network of more than 100 partner
agencies.
AgeOptions, a nonprofit based in Oak
Park, is an Area Agency on Aging that promotes better health
outcomes and quality of life so older adults can live their lives
to the fullest and remain in their homes for as long as
possible.
This year's theme for Older Americans Month is "Powered by
Connection" to address a key social determinant of health: social
isolation. U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H.
Murthy, MD, cited in his 2023 report that loneliness can
contribute to heart disease, stroke and dementia, and results in
billions of dollars in health care costs.
"All of us have an opportunity and the privilege of staying
socially connected to older adults and gaining knowledge from their
life experiences," said AgeOptions President and CEO Diane Slezak. "If you have the opportunity to
reach out to neighbors and relatives, do it. It doesn't have to be
time-consuming. You may not have to do a lot for it to mean a lot
to an older person."
Each week in May, AgeOptions will share information with its
constituents about its various programs that promote connectedness
in the communities it serves:
- Week 1: Under the Library Cares program, public libraries in
suburban Cook County offer
programs to provide socialization and bridge the digital
divide.
- Week 2: Illinois Pathways to Health provides interactive
workshops aimed at improving overall health and well-being to
better manage chronic conditions and reduce fall risks.
- Week 3: Caring Together, Living Better offers services through
west suburban faith- and community-based organizations to support
low-income Black and Latinx caregivers.
- Week 4: Thrive with Pride provides welcoming and inclusive
services to all, regardless of sexual orientation, relationship
status, or gender identity, and is particularly focused on
combatting social isolation among LGBT+ older adults and
caregivers.
Additionally, AgeOptions provides information about services for
unpaid caregivers through its 9 Caregiver Resource Centers. There
are an estimated 1.5 million unpaid caregivers in Illinois. A research project by AARP Illinois
found that caregivers provide $21
billion of care and pay an average $7,500 out of pocket to meet their loved one's
daily needs.
AgeOptions advocates to increase state funding (HB5358 &
SB3919) for the Illinois Family Caregiver Act to support unpaid
family caregivers and grandparents raising grandchildren. Increased
funding would allow Caregiver Resource Centers throughout
Illinois to provide respite
services, stress reduction programs, memory cafes and other support
services to 1.5 million caregivers in Illinois.
AgeOptions advocates, plans, develops and funds programs and
coordinates a network of community-based senior service agencies to
ensure an effective and efficient system of service delivery.
Support is provided through the Older Americans Act, Illinois
General Revenue Funds, local funds, and individual contributions.
In 2023, AgeOptions and its partners served 230,976 individuals in
130 communities within 30 townships that have diverse populations
of more than 602,017 older adults.
AgeOptions has served older adults of suburban
Cook County and their caregivers
as an Area Agency on Aging since 1974. For more information, please
visit www.ageoptions.org or our Facebook and YouTube
pages.
Media contact: Deb Bukovy, marketing specialist, at
708-383-0258, ext. 368, or email deb.bukovy@ageoptions.org.
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SOURCE AgeOptions