The Aging Report
Veterans Day
This past Sunday, we observed Veterans Day, a day to honor the men and women who are serving and have served in our Armed Forces.

The men and women who serve to protect our country come from all walks of life. They make the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedoms and we thank them for their service!
Veterans Independence Program
The Agency on Aging Northeastern Illinois is proud to partner with Lovell FHCC VA Medical Center to offer the Veterans Independence Program (VIP), a program designe d to help Veterans remain in their homes and communities.

The Veterans Independence Program (VIP) is a new way of providing Veterans with the assistance they need to remain at home. VIP is a veteran directed home and community based service program which can provide more flexible options than traditional in-home services.
Using an approved amount of VA funds, the program can allow Veterans to:

  • Hire a family member or friend to help them with personal care and/or assistance around the house
  • Contract a neighbor or professional to provide lawn care or snow removal
  • Utilize some of the funds to make their home more accessible
  • Utilize meal delivery services

This program has changed the lives of many Veterans! For more information, call the Agency on Aging Northeastern Illinois at (800) 528-2000.
Staying Healthy While Living
with Diabetes
Diabetes can strike anyone, from any walk of life. And it does - in numbers that are dramatically increasing. In 2015, 9.4% of the American population (30.3 million people) had diabetes. Diabetes is particularly prevalent in older adults with 25.2% of Americans age 65 and over having diagnosed or undiagnosed diabetes.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is crucial to living life with diabetes. Consuming regular healthy meals is a good habit for anyone, but especially important for individuals with diabetes. All meals and snacks should contain foods supplying carbohydrates, protein, and a limited amount of fat. Carbohydrates in particular provide energy, but must be helped by insulin in order to be used by the cells of the body.  By eating healthy meals and snacks on a regular basis and having a consistent intake of carbohydrates, individuals with diabetes can more easily control their blood glucose. 

It’s extremely important for people with diabetes to follow the dietary advice of their healthcare provider. A Registered Dietitian or Certified Diabetes Educator can help individuals with diabetes or pre-diabetes better understand their dietary needs. For more information, visit www.diabetes.org.

The Agency on Aging Northeastern Illinois offers a class on diabetes self-management called Take Charge of Your Diabetes. Call (800) 528-2000 to learn more about the class and sign up to Take Charge of Your Diabetes!
Caring for People with Alzheimer's
November is National Caregivers Month and National Alzheimer's Awareness Month. This month we celebrate millions of people who care for a friend or family member in need and raise awareness of family caregiver issues.

Many people receiving care from caregivers are suffering from Alzheimer's. One in 10 people age 65 and older suffers from Alzheimer's. Many caregivers of people with dementia experience a variety of emotions, including a sense of loss coming from caring for a person who is physically present but mentally absent. This can take a toll on many family caregivers.

It is not only important for the caregiver to give care to their loved one, but also to take care of themselves. Being a caregiver is one of the most stressful jobs, and taking time away is equally important.
The Agency on Aging offers a variety of caregiver support programs from support groups, stress busters classes and more! For more information, call (800) 528-2000.
Do You Want to Become an Advocate for Seniors?
Senior Medicare Patrol volunteers work with seniors to ensure fewer people are victims of health care fraud. Volunteers help spread the message of Protect, Detect, and Report through presentations, attending community events and one-on-one counseling.

If you would like to become a Senior Medicare Patrol volunteer and fight health care fraud in your community, call our Community Planner, Glenda Love, at (630) 293-5990.
The Agency on Aging Northeastern Illinois was established in 1974. Services funded or coordinated by the Agency on Aging meet the diverse needs of the most rapidly growing population in Illinois. Over 654,000 seniors age 60 and over live in the agency's eight-county service area:

DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will Counties

Agency on Aging | 630-293-5990 |  info@ageguide.org  |  http://www.ageguide.org
P.O. Box 809
Kankakee, IL 60901-0809

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