( Left side back to front) Cindy Metzger, Ed Ohligschlager, Bonnie Oberhellman ( right side back to front) Joanne and Bob Guzman and Betty Cottingim enjoy the activities and socializing at the Yorkville facility of the Senior Services Associates. (Photo by Cathy Janek/for Chronicle Media)

One a recent  cold Friday morning in April,  more than 65 seniors gathered at the Yorkville location of Senior Services Associates, Inc. for lunch and bingo as they do several times a week.

Many come well before noon—the official start of bingo—to play cards, dominos, or socialize with fellow seniors.

Other times speakers or groups come in such as the Illinois Secretary of State Mobile Driver Services Unit or tax preparers from AARP to assist seniors with their taxes.

Among the large group of “regulars” are Dorothy Behm of Yorkville and Eugene Easker of Plano, who began participating in SSA activities after their spouses passed away five years ago.  Today, the two are engaged and will be married next year.

Each week, the couple sits at a large corner table at Yorkville’s Beecher Center along with a group of other seniors including Somonauk residents Bobbie and Leon Dettman.

“We have met a lot of nice people here,” Bobbie Dettman added.  “When someone is sick, a card goes around for everyone to sign.”

Likewise, Yorkville resident Rita Murphy, who has been coming to Senior Services events for more than 15 years, said if someone doesn’t come for a few weeks, a staff member will call them to make sure they are okay.

“We do worry about each other,” she added.  “For some people, coming here is the highlight of their day to see other people and enjoy some fellowship.”

Three times a week, lunch is provided for the seniors at a nominal cost.  Most of the soups, entrees, and desserts are homemade by 80 year old Yorkville resident Kerin Harris who began as a volunteer, but now is a part-time staff member.

Senior Services regulars Eugene Easker of Plano, Dorothy Behm of Yorkville, and Somonauk residents Bobbie and Leon Dettman visit before bingo at the Beecher Center in Yorkville. (Photo by Cathy Janek/for Chronicle Media)

Harris still volunteers her time at PADs and teaches Sunday school.

Fellow seniors like Montgomery resident Cel Phillips said she comes for the companionship as well as the activities.

For the last 14 years, Phillips volunteers her time at the Yorkville Senior Services including helping run the bingo games like she has done for the last 14 years.

“I love it here,” she said.

Gina Dunlap, the new activities director for the Senior Services in Yorkville, also organizes weekly lunch outings and tours such as an upcoming tour of Fermilab — even serving as the group’s bus driver.

But, the services don’t stop at bingo, lunch, and outings, she said.

“We take care of the whole senior,” Dunlap added.

For more than 40 years, Senior Services has offered a wide variety of programs and services for individuals age 60 and older including case management, information, referral and outreach, adult protective services, nursing home ombudsman services, senior legal services, emergency services, and transportation assistance at its six locations across Kane, Kendall and McHenry Counties—much of it a low or no cost. (visit www.seniorservicesassoc.org for more information)

In all, SSA serves about 28,000 seniors in some capacity.

Among the unique services offered by SSA is a RSVP volunteer program in which seniors age 50 or older volunteer to take other seniors to doctor’s appointments or bring them meals, Dunlap said.

Another program matches homebound seniors with a volunteer, Ana Meneses, the SSA’s program coordinator said.  It is socialization, and for some seniors it can make a huge difference in their daily lives, she added.

“Our goal is to preserve the senior in their home as long as possible.”

“But, due to the budget impasse, if the funding isn’t there the same services may not continue,” she added.

According to Bette Schoenholtz, Senior Service’s executive director, “We had a grant for about $480,000 from the state for a program that would assist seniors living independently longer in their homes.”

Senior Services Associates provides lunch three times a week at its Yorkville facility. (Photo by Cathy Janek/for Chronicle Media)

Senior Services received a portion of the money last February.  Due to the state budget impasse in Springfield, the funding stopped.

“We have gotten some money from the state for our community care program which assesses seniors for in-home services,” Schoenholtz said.

“However, we have others services that are based on grants that we haven’t received any money for such as one for adult protective services, which is abuse investigation and information assistance that helps seniors find financial assistance,” she added.

Senior Services had money in reserves that it has been using to operate its programs over the last year, Schoenholtz said.

In total, Senior Services is owed about $800,000 from the State of Illinois.

For a number of months, the organization has been offering these services because they have a contract with the state to provide the services without receiving the funding from the state, she said.

“Now, we have started to move staff around so we can still provide our services,” Schoenholtz said.

“The big concern for us is seniors having to wait for services”, she said.

— Fox Valley agency takes pride in serving  ‘the whole senior’  —