"Talk" Newsletter - Holiday Issue 2014

Holiday
GREETINGS
In This Issue...
The Giving Tree • Hearing Loss Support •
Mariano’s and Seniors in the Community •
2015 Annual Meeting • Holiday Recipes •
Caregivers Holiday Tea • Thanks
Winter 2014
The Giving Tree:
Small Tags Symbolize So Much
Evelyn, 83, lives alone in her own home in Glenview. She is a
widow and has no family in the Chicago area. Last winter, while
visiting a friend in Michigan for the Thanksgiving holiday, she
slipped on a patch of ice, fell and broke her hip.
The injury left her frail and unable to walk without crutches.
After a lengthy out-of-town hospital stay, Evelyn was able to return
to Glenview via an interstate taxi service that dropped her off at her
front door and left her to fend for herself.
“I was Evelyn’s case manager,” said Heather Resnick, a social
worker at North Shore Senior Center’s Northfield Location. “She
called me on a cell phone from the hospital in Michigan to tell me
what had happened. Evelyn is far from affluent and had nobody
who could visit or care for her. I knew she was extremely isolated.”
In the past, Heather would have accessed Flexible Senior
Spending funds from the state of Illinois to assist Evelyn. “FSS was
used for emergency housing, utilities, medicine or food,” Heather
said. “But, that funding disappeared a few years ago. What I did
instead was to use some of the Center’s donated grocery store gift
cards to buy basic foods and take them to her home.”
While Heather visited with Evelyn and unpacked the groceries, she
realized that her client would be completely alone—and homebound—during
the Christmas holiday. When she returned to the Center, Heather made a
Giving Tree request on Evelyn’s behalf.
A long-standing North Shore Senior Center tradition, the Giving Tree
is set up in the Atrium of the Arthur C. Nielsen, Jr. Campus each year in
November. It is decorated with handwritten tags, each one listing the
holiday wish of a senior in need. Members, staff, volunteers and visitors
can select a tag (or tags) from the Giving Tree, purchase the gifts and wrap
them. Social Services team members then personally deliver the various
presents to their clients prior to the holiday.
An anonymous donor selected Evelyn’s wish tag, bought a winter
hat, scarf and gloves and wrapped them in a decorative keepsake box.
Heather took the package to Evelyn
on December 19. “It was her only gift,” Heather said.
“She had a tiny, pre-decorated Christmas tree on her table. Just to
have something under that tree was emotional for her. I know she
waited until Christmas morning to open that present.”
In 2013, the Giving Tree made it possible for more than 520 low-income
older adults to receive holiday gifts. These are seniors who live right in our
midst, in our communities. The vast majority of them have limited financial
resources and equally limited support systems. Their “wish” requests are
usually modest: a warm blanket, a bathrobe, a book of postage stamps.
For many older adults, these are everyday necessities—things that are taken
for granted. For others, they are small luxuries that make all the difference in
the world.
As you prepare to enjoy the festivities of the holiday season,
we ask that you keep these elders in mind. Like all of us, they have
the need to know that people care about them. To learn more about
making a Giving Tree donation, please call 847.784.6000. n
www.nssc.org
Mary Blumer-Reed leads a
discussion in the “Sound Off”
support group
Participant Bindy Bitterman
shares a story during
the meeting.
Hearing Loss
Support Group
Offers Friendship and a Chance to “Sound Off”
Moviegoers who saw the charming 2009 Disney-Pixar film “Up” were
tickled by the elderly widower Carl Fredricksen, who would turn off his
hearing aid to get a little peace and quiet. (Granted, there are times
when we would all like to do the same—hearing loss or not.) However,
when that antisocial phase wears off and you need to connect, it’s
important to have the option of hearing what’s going on around you.
This is where North Shore Senior Center’s “Sound Off” support
group comes in handy. The participants meet each Monday at 11 a.m.
at our Northfield Location to swap stories and share the challenges and
successes they experience in regard to hearing loss.
According to Mary Blumer-Reed, a licensed social worker who
facilitates the group, Sound Off provides a wealth of benefits for those
who attend the meetings. “People with hearing loss often find themselves
withdrawing from even their closest relationships,” she said. “Social
gatherings become may become difficult and exhausting. Even talking on
the phone may be a challenge. The Sound Off group provides information,
and in the course of exchanging information, friendships grow.”
Like other North Shore Senior Center support groups, Sound Off
creates a sense of community among people who are traveling the
same road. And in terms of hearing loss, these participants are certainly
not alone. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, 20 percent of the
adults in the United States—approximately 48 million people—have
some form of hearing loss. For most adults, the onset and progression
of such conditions extend over some time. The first step in coping is
simply acknowledging the reality.
For anyone grappling with the realization that they have a hearing
loss, finding the correct assistive devices can be a daunting task. The
Sound Off group can be helpful in this area also. “We have information
on resources for obtaining hearing aids that fit a bare-bones budget or
that are covered by Medicaid, as well as hearing assistive devices that
are high-end and have the latest cutting edge technology,” Blumer-Reed
said. “We provide ideas and suggestions on how to manage a noisy
restaurant and what to ask for when you want to hear the address at
your child’s or grandchild’s graduation.”
One group member, Bindy Bitterman, recalled her experiences at
her granddaughter’s wedding reception. There had been a few minor
snags, such as when she had to ask another guest to accommodate
her hearing loss. “He was a storyteller and a fast talker,” she said. “But
when he switched into story mode, he used a slower, clearer voice.
I told him that was better for me and he should talk like that all the
time. It was a learning experience for him and for me, too.”
The cake was elegant, the bridal attendants numbered 12, and
the setting was lovely. But for Bindy, the biggest success was being
prepared for the challenges of hearing people in a gathering of that size.
A noisy event where there will be a lot of cross-talking provides many
obstacles for an individual with a hearing loss. It’s the kind of soiree in
which a hearing aid can be—unfortunately —of very little aid.
However, with help from her Sound Off friends, Bindy came through
with flying colors. “At the wedding itself I had no trouble,” she said. “I did
all the things we talked about here in the group, and I looked terrific!” n
Want to learn more? Attend a group or contact us today.
All groups meet in the Linden Lounge at the Arthur C. Nielsen, Jr. Campus, Northfield.
Speech Reading: Mondays, 10 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Sound Off: Mondays, 11 a.m. – noon
Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) Meeting: 2nd Monday of each month;
10 a.m. to noon. Guest speaker/topics vary.
Hearing Loss Goes Hollywood: Mr. Fredericksen,
a main character in the movie, “Up,” was a
globe-trotting senior who wore a hearing aid.
To learn more about North Shore Senior Center’s Hearing Loss programs,
please contact Mary Blumer-Reed at 847.784.6040 ext. 6907.
Connect to
Your Community:
Seniors Invited to Join the Mariano’s Team
Many people who spent their lives working,
meeting deadlines and juggling schedules find
that retirement—in the traditional sense—
isn’t a gig they want to add to their calendars.
Their motivations are diverse: Some need
extra income, others are seeking personal
fulfillment, and some consider excess leisure
to be downright boring.
As a result, a growing number of seniors
are remaining in the workforce well past the
traditional age of retirement. Employers are
now recognizing that the work ethic and life
experience that older adults can bring to their
teams makes hiring seniors a win-win situation
for everyone involved.
Part-time jobs appear to be the best fit
for new-Millennium quasi-retirees, offering
seniors personal satisfaction, a sense of
productivity and an opportunity to make new
friends. (The paycheck is a perk as well.)
Where might one go to find such
employment? Consider Mariano’s, our neighbor
just a bit north of our Arthur C. Nielsen, Jr.
Campus. Last fall, the supermarket chain
reached out to North Shore Senior Center
members, inviting them to apply for part-time
positions as new Mariano’s team members.
The store offers flexible work schedules of
between 15 and 20 hours per week.
Employment opportunities include jobs like
greeters and cashiers, as well as assignments
in the bakery, produce and meat departments. The Mariano’s chain, which debuted in
the Chicago market in 2010, offers an upscale,
global grocery shopping experience under the
banner motto, “Shop well. Eat well. Live well.”
However, the chain’s customer service policies
are what create a very neighborhood-like
atmosphere in each of its stores.
“We seek to be the grocery destination
of choice,” said Mariano’s Manager of Talent
Acquisition Christa Bertolini. “Our customers
might come in two or three times a day. They
stop for coffee in the morning,
a salad or panini at lunch, or a
steak to put on the grill when
they get home. We’re looking for team
members who are going to engage
our customers and we find that the
senior community can provide that.”
While the Vero Coffee & Gelato Café,
Oki Sushi bar, and the artisan-style Bakery
add character to the Mariano’s shopping
experience, it’s clear that the employees are
the key to the store’s success. “We tell our
team members, ‘Don’t be afraid to talk to
strangers,’” Bertolini said. “Just to be able to
make eye contact, to say ‘hi’ or ask to help
the customer find something—these things
make the difference.”
During the interview process, applicants
are encouraged to discuss their talents and
interests, along with their employment history.
In this manner, the Mariano’s recruiters
can help senior job seekers find a position
that they will really enjoy. “We are aiming to
provide an opportunity for people to build
long-term stability,” Bertolini said. “We want
employees to stay with us and to help us
build that connection to the community.”
So far, the response from seniors has
been enthusiastic and extremely positive.
“The applicants I’ve seen want to get out of
the house and meet new people,” Bertolini
said. “They want to be social and they’re
excited about the opportunity.”
As of September 2014, Mariano’s had
10,500 employees in the Chicago area. The
chain plans to add 500 new team members
by the end of the year.
To learn more about working at Mariano’s,
please stop at the Customer Service desk
at your local store.
(Editor’s note: At press time, the Glenview
and Northfield Locations were both hiring
new team members.) n
Annual Meeting:
Tuesday, January 13, 2015—A Look
at Ravinia Festival with Welz Kauffman
North Shore Senior Center’s 2015 Annual Meeting will feature a presentation by Welz Kauffman,
president and CEO of Ravinia. Building on three decades of artistic leadership, Kauffman
dedicated his Ravinia tenure, which began in 2000, to educational goals. He is the first of
Ravinia’s leaders to program both the classical and non-classical concerts on the festival’s busy
summer schedule, which averages more than 150 events each year.
In addition to the more than 600,000 people who annually attend music events at Ravinia,
from concerts to master classes, more than 75,000 Chicago-area residents benefit from services
that Ravinia offers under Kauffman’s REACH*TEACH*PLAY umbrella. These programs, largely
focused on K–3 students in budget-strapped schools of Cook and Lake counties, include the
creation of “El Sistema”–based student orchestras.
While setting new ticket-sales records over the past decade, Kauffman has taken Ravinia from
a $20-million to a $35-million, independently owned and operated, not-for-profit cultural
destination. He has lowered the price for most of the festival’s 3,400 Pavilion seats to $25 for
all Chicago Symphony Orchestra concerts, while admitting children and students through college for
free to the lawn. Kauffman also opened KidsLawn, an area where families can picnic pre-concert
while kids interact with real and oversized musical instruments, among other activities.
Both of Kauffman’s parents were educators, and he began his own music career as a piano
teacher. Education remained a key component of his work, from the J. Paul Getty Trust to several
orchestras for whom he managed education services, including the Los Angeles Chamber
Orchestra; the Atlanta Symphony, where he collaborated with the legendary vocal conductor
Robert Shaw and former President Jimmy Carter; and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, for
which he developed community programs with Bobby McFerrin. He’s also worked with such
distinguished maestros as Sir Colin Davis, Leonard Bernstein and Kurt Masur.
Kauffman, who studied music at Occidental College and Tanglewood, is also a pianist who
has performed frequently for Ravinia audiences, often with fellows from Ravinia’s Steans Music
Institute (RSMI) and REACH*TEACH*PLAY students in an effort to a shine a light on these
programs and their participants.
As the featured guest for our Annual Meeting, Mr. Kauffman will speak in
the Robert H. Cohn Auditorium at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, January 13, 2015.
His presentation will follow the installation of new North Shore Senior Center
board members at 10 a.m. Admission is free and all are welcome. n
Photos courtesy of Ravinia Festival
Fun Facts About Ravinia
d Ravinia opened on August 15, 1904
as an amusement park to attract
riders to the new Chicago & Milwaukee
Electric Railroad. The park featured a
baseball stadium, dance hall, electric
swings, water fountain and music
pavilion.
d When he was a young boy, Kenoshaborn actor/director Orson Welles
starred in a production of “Our Town”
at Ravinia.
d Barry Manilow taped his first Emmy
Award-winning television special at
Ravinia in 1975.
d Legendary Chicago artist Richard Hunt
introduced sculpture to the 36-acre
park in the 1970s.
d Ravinia employs about 50 people
year-round and over 600 people in
the summer.
Holiday Recipes
from Our A&A Café
Our in-house culinary guru, Sandie Shrear, provided us with recipes that are simple and
festive—a perfect blend for the busy holiday season. To sample more of Sandie’s recipes,
visit www.nssc.org. The A&A Café is open Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
SATIN FUDGE ICING
A crowd pleaser for all ages, this elegant icing
can be stored in the refrigerator and makes a
sensational holiday gift.
Directions:
Combine and heat over low flame (or in
microwave) until mixture is glossy and creamy:
1 can condensed milk
5 ½ ounces unsweetened chocolate
4 ounces butter or margarine
2 tablespoons corn syrup
EASY WINE-MARINATED BRISKET
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 3 hours
Yield: 6 servings
1 cup dry red or white wine
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt & pepper, to taste
1 small onion, grated
1 brisket, 3 to 3 ½ pounds
1 large onion, halved, sliced
1 pound mushrooms, stems removed, optional
Directions:
Combine wine, soy sauce, garlic and grated
onion in large Dutch oven or deep roasting
pan. Add brisket; turn to coat both sides.
Marinate brisket for 2 hours or overnight in
refrigerator.
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Scatter sliced
onion and mushrooms on and around brisket.
Cover top of Dutch oven with foil; place lid
on top. Cook until brisket is very tender, about
3 hours.
Place cooled brisket in refrigerator
overnight. Chilled brisket is easier to slice.
Keep about 2 cups of hot beef stock at
hand to add to pan juices if more sauce is
needed when reheating.
Cool mixture to the touch and add:
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 tablespoon warm water or
liquid non-dairy creamer
Yield: 3 cups of icing
Use immediately or store in tightly sealed
container in the refrigerator/freezer to keep
for several months.
Helpful hints from Sandie:
•To use as a cake icing, stir vigorously at
room temperature and spread.
•For a thinner sauce to drizzle over cake or
ice cream, add additional water, liquid
non-dairy creamer, or a liqueur.
•Chilled icing can be scooped and rolled into
bite-sized fudge balls. Decorate them with
the grandkids!
HOLIDAY BUFFET WREATH
This visually striking dish is a hit at holiday
gatherings and gives guests a chance to
add vitamin-rich fresh veggies to their diets.
(If using snap peas, blanch them and chill
in ice water before serving.)
Dip ingredients:
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon shallots, finely chopped
1 teaspoon anchovy paste
Juice of ½ a lemon
2 or 3 Tbs. Dijon Mustard
Sitr ingredients by hand, garnish with capers.
Surround with snow peas and red pepper
strips and serve.
T hanks to Our Corporate Partners!
Mariano’s Northfield—Tom Kramer and Alphy Roy; Sarpino’s Pizza Northbrook—
Tisha Akulich; Multicopy Printing—Michael Semmerling
Q uarterly Donor Honor Roll
Of Gifts of $10,000 or More July 1 to September 30, 2014
Join Us
for a Holiday Tea to
Honor Family Caregivers!
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
North Shore Senior Center
161 Northfield Road
Northfield, IL 60093
Come in from the cold, celebrate with
fellow caregivers, partake of tea and
cookies and share tips for getting
through the holiday season!
Please RSVP by December 2 to
Lauretta Hart at 847.424.5661 or
Heather Resnick at 847.784.6041.
Connect with us:
Arthur C. Nielsen, Jr. Campus
161 Northfield Road
Northfield, IL 60093
847.784.6000
Evanston Social Services Office
840 Dodge Avenue
Evanston, IL 60202
847.864.3721
House of Welcome
1779 Winnetka Road
Northfield, IL 60093
847.242.6250
www.nssc.org
dJ
ohn and Myrna
Cruikshank
& R Fund Foundation
dD
ulian and Molly
dJ
D’Esposito
astwood Group
dE
Partners, Ltd
dL
loyd and Martha
Ferguson
d Robert F. Gudmundsen
d Kenneth and Kay Hamel
d Charlotte Lindon
d Carol Maxon
dA
rthur B. and Leslie Muir
d Peck Bloom, LLC
dR
adford Green
at Sedgebrook
dM
itchell and
Valerie Slotnick
d Elinor R. Thaviu
d Ann S. Wolff
Medicare
D Assistance
Mariano’s Northfield Pharmacy will provide one-on-one Medicare D assistance,
helping seniors compare available prescription plans on Friday, October 31 and
Tuesday, November 25. By appointment only, please call 847.784.6040.
Happy Holidays
from all of us at
North Shore Senior Center!