Lifestyles Department of Friendship Village Schaumburg Receives 2015 Impact Award

For the third time in the past four years, the Lifestyles Department of Friendship Village Schaumburg has earned the prestigious Impact Award in Life Services Network’s (LSN) 2015 Honoring Excellence Award Program. LSN is the largest eldercare association in Illinois, representing the leading providers of complete continuing care services for older adults. The award will be formally presented to Friendship Village during LSN’s 2015 Annual Meeting and Exhibition in May.

The award is for Friendship Village’s initiative entitled Senior Outreach Coalition Service to Those at Risk. The program matches volunteers from Friendship Village with individuals who most benefit from assistance.

“We identified local organizations requiring assistance or resources due to low income, special needs, or other at-risk factors. Residents then volunteer as teachers, ambassadors, counselors and more,” said Jeff Rose, lifestyles manager at Friendship Village. “Our outreach changed the paradigm of volunteers and community in retirement communities.”

“People tend to think that they should come to Friendship Village to volunteer and help the seniors here. But our residents demonstrate that they have years of experience and compassion, are dynamic and energetic, and are eager to give back. They dramatically change the way that the outside community sees seniors,” said Jeannette Magdaleno, lifelong learning and volunteer coordinator at Friendship Village.

The volunteer group, named The Senior Outreach Coalition, began several years ago with people helping to stock and feed clients of the local food pantry. The Senior Outreach Coalition now has more than 15 outreach partnerships impacting the local community including Feed My Starving Children, PADS, Children’s Home and Aid Society, WINGS Resale Shop, Alexian Brothers Medial Center, Read to Learn Adult Literacy Program, local schools and more.

“The residents of Friendship Village have taken it upon themselves to create a community that is positive and in which people can become the strongest versions of themselves,” said Rose. “By organizing and administering the Senior Outreach Coalition, these residents are able to develop partnerships that benefit everyone involved and help change lives through positive programming and involvement. We are honored to be receiving the Impact Award, and look forward to sharing this idea with our peers at other retirement communities.”

Friendship Village is a leading Chicago-area retirement community offering a complete continuum of care including independent living garden homes and apartment homes, as well as assisted living, memory support, skilled care, and short- and long-term rehabilitation services. For more than 35 years, Friendship Village has been providing Chicago area seniors with exceptional retirement living options. For additional information visit www.FriendshipVillage.org