Senior Center Plan Seeks Sustenance

BY PAT KROCHMAL
STAFF WRITER

Mount Prospect Times – March 18, 2004

The Des Plaines Senior Center, which has members from communities throughout the northwest suburbs and Chicago, is searching for $600,000 to complete the first remodeling phase at its new location.

Its new site is planned for the former Osco building on the 4.5-acre Cumberland Shopping Center, Northwest Highway and Mount Prospect Road.

The center, which has an open membership policy, already attracts people from Addison, Arlington Heights, Barrington, Buffalo Grove, Chicago, Elk Grove Village, Franklin Park, Glenview, Golf, Harwood Heights, Huntley, Lombard, Morton Grove, Mount Prospect, Niles, Norridge, Oak Park, Palatine, Park Ridge, Prospect Heights, Rolling Meadows, Rosemont, Schaumburg, Westchester, Wheeling and Wood Dale, as well as Des Plaines.

"We served about 12,000 seniors last year alone on membership fees and donations alone. We don't expect to see these numbers decrease. In fact, we expect them to increase greatly," said Sharon Smith, the center's executive director.

That is because the "85-year-old and over" group has become the fastest growing segment of the population, said U.S. Rep. Janice Schakowsky, D-9th.

"The senior population keeps growing and has outgrown this center. Meals that are served and programs that are offered must be off-site because there is no room here at the Prairie Lakes Community Center (515 E. Thacker St.). And the sites are scattered around the community," Schakowsky said.

"The (Prairie Lakes) site will continue to serve a purpose for several years, but with the marvelous new place, seniors will enjoy a large assembly area, nutritious meals provided on site, wheelchair accessible computer labs, multi-purpose classrooms, and offices for volunteers and staff. It will really be state of the art and ready to meet the challenges that are coming," she added.

Center services

Because of the help that centers such as this one offers seniors, they can continue to live in their own homes instead of in nursing homes, which most greatly prefer, Schakowsky said.

The Center's services include AARP tax help, blood pressure checks, chiropractic screenings, community information, dental exams, financial planning, hearing aid cleaning, legal counseling, medical rental closet, personal counseling, podiatrist exams, shared housing, and employment counseling.

"We placed more than 900 seniors in jobs last year - and to be counted, they had to be employed in them at least four months," Smith said.

"What is sad about that is that many elderly people must go to work to be able to fill their prescriptions. This isn't an inner city or low-income problem. This is a problem that we face in suburbs like this and in middle income families where people just don't have the money any more to fill their basic needs," Schakowsky said.

"One-third of all seniors really can't afford their prescription drugs right now. There are some (government) programs being offered, but we need places where they can be deciphered because they are so complicated. That is why this center is so important, because it helps address that," she added.

However, this center is unique in that it is self-funded, said James Ulett, chairman of its board of directors.

"There are only a handful of organizations in the country like this. We have no government funding or any other funding other than what is raised by our membership and the events we carry out throughout the year," Ulett said.

Not enough

But the membership fee is only $20 for a single and $32 for a couple per year, he added.

And although the center now owns the entire shopping center and will occupy only 20,000 square feet of the 33,000-square-foot building, the remaining 13,000 square feet that is divided into six stores will not provide enough rental income to sustain the center and its growing membership.

"The board did a really good job of raising money for the ($3 million) building campaign. But the cost involved with the plan and design, as well as hiring an architect and a project manager sunk half the money we raised to find out we couldn't build at the park district site," Smith said.

"We thought there was a 3-foot wide pipe six feet down. Instead, it was a 6-foot wide pipe three feet down and impossible to move for less than a huge amount of money. That is why we switched our focus to the Cumberland Plaza," she added.

So now the Center's principals are looking for suggestions and ideas on how to raise enough money to open the new site as well as how to sustain it.

"There is a perception among the younger population that if you are over 65, you have plenty of money in the bank, are self-sufficient and don't need anyone to take worry about you," Ulett said. "However, that is not the case. We need to take care of the people who took care of us years ago."

Anyone with ideas, suggestions, in-kind contributions, products, services or jobs may call Smith at (847) 391-5717.