As we get older it can become more difficult to stay in our homes while it also becomes more stressful for our family.
Ellen Berberich is a community research specialist with Alternatives
She tells WGIL how the organization brings together services to assist senior citizens and their families so they can stay in their homes and maintain their independence.
“By doing that you’re not only helping that individual stay where they want to stay but we are also helping the State of Illinois,” Berberich says. “We actually saved the State of Illinois in the last fiscal year $122 million.”
The savings result from Alternatives providing services to keep seniors in their home and out of publicly run nursing homes for a longer period.
The organization used to be called Alternatives for the Older Adult but a change was prompted because in recent years they’ve also been charged with assisting adults 18-59 with disabilities.
“We soon realized that as we were once called Alternatives for the Older Adult because of this new population we had to chop part of that name,” Berberich says. “So we just went with Alternatives.”
If you have questions or if you suspect you or someone you know that’s over 60 or disabled is being abused, visit alternativesforyou.org or call (309) 277-0167.
