Senior Moments from H.O.M.E.

There is a saying about motherhood; The days are long and the years are short. In our current situation, quarantining in a house with twin four year olds, a dog that sheds and barks like it’s her job and a spouse who also works full time – the days are especially long. Almost five years ago, after years of trying and a very good doctor, I gave birth to twin girls, Adelaide and Isabella. My husband and I do not have a lot of family that lives in the state, so from the time we came home with our bundles of joy we were on our own island of overtired parents, a very confused dog, and two babies. 

Topics: community, intergenerational housing, senior independence, aging in community, intergenerational relationships, Good Life Senior Residences, combating ageism, senior isolation

Today's guest blogger is Pam Smith, who is co-founder and executive director at the Addie Wyatt Center for Nonviolence Training in Chicago. She is a historian and genealogist and a long-time Chicago consultant for nonprofit organizations.

Pam served as a senior press aide to Barack Obama in his primary campaign for US Senate and to Jesse Jackson in his 1988 presidential bid. She teaches history at National Louis University and is coeditor of The Chicago Freedom Movement: Martin Luther King Jr. and Civil Rights Activism in the North.

Topics: volunteer, community, senior living, Good Life Senior Residences, Resources and tips for seniors

 “Black history talks about the strength and determination of a people to be all that they could be.”

Topics: community, intergenerational relationships, Good Life Senior Residences

As a social work graduate intern, I returned to H.O.M.E. after being away for the holidays during my school break, excited to start 2019. During an outing into the community, I asked the residents of the Good Life Senior Residences program about their New Year’s resolutions, and I noticed a pattern.

Topics: Good Life Senior Residences, Resources and tips for seniors

“I remember thinking, ‘I have no home now. I’m destitute.’”

Natalie didn't know what to do when she found herself with no where to live. Thanks to donors like you, Natalie found a home and a community that supports her in H.O.M.E.'s Intergenerational Housing program. You gave her hope. 

Topics: intergenerational housing, Giving Tuesday, Good Life Senior Residences, senior isolation, senior housing

Maintaining independence and quality of life for the older adult population is moving to the frontline within programs and residences for older adults.

At H.O.M.E., we strive to help our residents keep their independence for as long as they are able. Good Life Senior Residences offered at Pat Crowley House and Nathalie Salmon House gives low-income older adults the chance to hold onto their independence within a communal living setting.

Topics: senior independence, aging in community, Good Life Senior Residences, Resources and tips for seniors, senior housing

How big of a problem is social isolation among older adults?

Bigger than you might think. One just has to look at some of the news articles to know that social isolation is a trend that is only getting worse.

I had the pleasure of presenting to Rush Generations members last month, where both Dr. Alexander Sasha Rackman and I both addressed social isolation from our individual perspectives: Dr. Rackman being a geriatrician and myself being a gerontologist and social worker.

Topics: intergenerational housing, senior hunger, aging in community, intergenerational relationships, Good Life Senior Residences, Resources and tips for seniors, senior isolation

After receiving an email from the National Council on Aging (NCOA), and being a newbie to the term “SNAP Gap”, I was prompted to do a Google search to learn more! And, as I suspected it had nothing to do with snaps on comfy clothing.

Topics: senior independence, food security, senior hunger, senior health, Good Life Senior Residences, Resources and tips for seniors

It feels like the summer has just started, but unfortunately the time for me to say goodbye has come. These past seven weeks have gone by so much faster than I expected.

I am so thankful and blessed to have worked alongside coworkers who were willing to let me take part in their role in the company and with residents who were willing to open their home to me.

Topics: aging in community, Good Life Senior Residences, combating ageism, senior isolation, affordable housing

Volunteering makes a big difference! Not only does volunteering make a difference for those being served, but it also has an impact on those serving.

Don't believe me? Take it from these volunteers who regularly serve and share meals with seniors at Pat Crowley House.

Topics: volunteer, community, intergenerational housing, Good Life Senior Residences