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Agency for Aging marks 10th anniversary in service SECTION 2 - PAGE 1 - PLAINDEALER - WEDNESDAY. JULY 11.1884 June 25 marked the 10th an­ niversary of the Region Two Area Agency on Aging Charter. Through the Charter, mandated through a 1973 amendment to the Older Americans Act, Region Two became a more effective link between federal and state programs and the elderly population. - Region Two Area Agency on Aging has been creating a standard for serving the nutritional and social needs of the over 60 population in the eight northern Illinois counties it serves.. Charles D. Johnson, executive director of the agency headquartered in Kankakee, with offices in West Chicago, explains. "These first 10 years have been a growth period for all of us-the agency, our board and advisory council members, the service provider agencies we fund and especially for the people we serve, those elderly who need some assistance to help them help themselves. Our role has been and will continue to be one that defines direction for who needs help and how they can best be served, what kind of help is available or needs to be developed and how do we assure this assistance is readily available to the senior citizen." "All of our efforts," he said, "are based on this single theme: we must maintain a society for older persons to live in with dignity and one in which they can continue to play a meaningful role." While nutrition programs continue to be high priority- both congregate and home- delivered meals-an array of in- home services has been developed to meet the needs of an increasingly older population which does not believe in premature institutionalization. "Finding the alternative for those who needed nutritionally balanced meeds resulted in the highly visible and successful nutrition programs. These areas continue to receive high priority and support from all levels of government and private agencies," Johnson explained. "Today there is an ever in­ creasing need far more and more in-home services as the population ages. These services are more diversified. These services need to be per­ sonalized, so to speak, to meet the individual need. The creation of the Case Coor­ dination Unit program offers the older person one point of entry into the social service system County to hear appeal for estate zoning A petition has been filed for hearing before the McHenry County Zoning Board of Appeals by petitioners, The State Bank of Woodstock, TR Number 3261, James O. Berry, Gerald F. Steiner, and Katherine M. Steiner for an Amendment to the McHenry County Zoning Or­ dinance from "A-l" Agriculture to "E-5" Estate District. The property is in Grafton Township and is located at the northwest corner of the in­ tersection of Coyne Station Road and Ernesti Road. The property consists of approximately ten acres. The hearing on this petition will be held July 12, at 2 p.m., in Room 203 of the McHenry County Courthouse, 2200 N. Seminary Ave., Woodstock, at which time and place all those who are interested may appear and be heard.l Class for siblings is scheduled Sherman Hospital's next "Big Brother, Big Sister" class for children and parents expecting a new family member will be held Saturday, July 14, from 10 a.m. to noon. Hie class includes listening to the baby's heartbeat, touring the nursery and 'mom's room,' receives a certificate of completion, a special family coloring h^ok and button, a film and more. A nominal fee is charged. For more information or to register, call Margery Williams, Sherman's Childbirth Education Coordinator, 888-8771. where they can receive in­ formation about the programs available in their community. The CCU also provides us with a wealth of feedback concerning areas of service that are needed." Finding gaps in services for the elderly is high on the priority list for Region Two. "Almost anything we do lies within three major areas in service, that is, housing, income programs and health," Johnson explained. "These are three major problem areas facing older persons." In housing, for example, there is a high degree of home ownership within the elderly population. Yet, the houses are 30 to 40 years old, in need of costly main­ tenance and the owners on fixed income. Taxes, too, take a healthly bite from this fixed income. What are the alter­ natives? Some include more a c c e s s a b l e a p a r t m e n t developments, zoning changes, shared housing, additional maintenance projects-changing storm windows can be a serious problem to a senior homeowner. "It is especially important for children with aging parents to communicate with them. Discover early what their wishes are, find out the programs available in the community before they are needed, talk about the options available to liferents before they are needed. Why consider a nursing home, for example," Johnson said, "when light housekeeping service in the home may be the simpler an­ swer. "Individually, we must begin to think and prepare for our own retirement. By taking an active interest in what happens to people in an older society, we all benefit. If not now, then when we are the elderly." Forms now available for local trivia contest Judith Irwin and A1 Smith co- chairmen of the Fiesta bays Theme Committee, have an­ nounced that the special 100- question Trivia Contest will be available in participating Chamber businesses beginning Wednesday, July 11. The con­ test covers trivia of the Fifties and Sixties, including sports, show business, politics, lifestyles and a few key questions about McHenry. There is one prize for the contest: a $100 cash-equivalent gift certificate to be used at any McHenry Chamber of Com­ merce business. In the event of ties, the winning entry will be drawn at Theme Nite in Petersen Park, on Friday, July 27. "Remember, few people ever answer every question in a trivia contest cdrrectly," Irwin said, "so hand in yo^r entry at the Chamber Office eyen if you only answer half the You could still end up bei winner." ^ -•S V) 2 I oil I «*D IB* m <A S e v> w E Jo* •g M C W Jo* o £ 5s k h e n 15 A Cou nt jy CD M to £ 5s k h e n 15 A Cou nt jy M N o 2I13 9 CD 0 2 01 <A M * ? a S . •» - . H ° • -- ° iii a « 4A ft u ̂ sitfsiS n u. w • %/% & M m 8