2000’s HIGHLIGHTS
2001-2003
- Frozen Home Delivered Meals are introduced
- CJE and Weiss Hospital partner to open a medical clinic at Swartzberg House
- CJE opens a Resource and Wellness Center in East Rogers Park
- Live-in caregiver service is initiated
- Klafter is closed in Wilmette
- Weinberg Community for Senior Living in Deerfield receives assisted living licensure from the state of Illinois under new state requirements
- Major renovation of resident floors is completed in Lieberman
- CJE contracts with The Park at Golf Mill to provide personal care services for all residents on the “Residence Plus” floor and as a preferred provider for residents on other floors
- CJE staff train homecare workers in Kiev, Ukraine on mental health and aging issues
- Introduction of the “Culture Bus,” a partnership with the Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer’s Disease Center at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine which unites the rich cultural opportunities in Chicago with innovative activities for individuals at the earlier stage of Alzheimer’s Disease
- Executive staff members Ronald Weismehl, President; Daniel Silverstein, Senior Vice President; and Nell Silverstein, Senior Vice President retire from CJE after more than 30 years of service
- Closing of the Council Café at Bernard Horwich Building
- Lieberman Centre becomes Medicare-certified for all beds
- Major renovation of Lieberman’s lobby and main dining room are completed
- Closing of CJE’s Resale Shop
2004
- Mark D. Weiner named President and Chief Executive Officer
- Initiation of major organization-wide strategic planning process and plan development
- Successful introduction of short-term rehabilitation unit and program at Lieberman Geriatric health Centre
- Expansion of community-based programming to include the opening of adult day service program at The Breakers and support and home health services at The Park retirement communities
- Hiring of Madelyn Iris, PhD, as Associate Director of Research to advance CJE’s excellence in applied research
2005
- New Strategic Plan completed and approved by Board of Directors; Introduction of new mission, values and vision
- Broke all CJE records for volunteerism with 752 regular volunteers and 2500 additional volunteers, providing 62,000 hours of in-kind service, valued at over $1 million
- Improvements at Lieberman Centre included new landscaping, artwork for the first and second floors and lighting, plumbing and flooring upgrades to resident rooms
- Launch of Chicago Life Opportunities Initiative (CLOI), a partnership of organizations across Chicago, coordinated by CJE that is mobilizing adults age 50+ to use their talents and expertise to address urgent community needs
- Development of new administrative structure to include promotion of Joe Atkin to Executive Vice President and hiring Laura Prohov, Director of Planning and Government Affairs and Herb Sier, M.D., Vice President of Medical Affairs
- Initiation of a wide range of staff morale-building initiatives such as Employee of the Year, Employee Emergency Fund, FUN Committee(s), Jeans Day
- Establishment of Management Training Program
- Development of an agency-wide marketing plan with overall outreach strategy that includes a formal synagogue outreach program
- Completion of Partners in Care (PIC) research. PIC was a four-year grant with 1648 treatment participants. The project included an 18-month social work intervention component during which social workers were placed in seven primary care offices. There were also four control sites that had no social work intervention. Eleven funders, including private donors, foundations such as the Michael Reese Health Trust and some pharmaceutical companies contributed just under $2 millionto the project . Research demonstrated that improved clinical outcomes are associated with the into primary care settings heavily populated with older patients
- Adult Day Services-Evanston expands its hours to be flexible for caregivers who work. Additionally, a once-weekly satellite program opens at The Park for residents with memory loss or isolation
2006-2007
- Continued advancement of new administrative leadership with hiring of Bill Casper, Vice President of Residential Services and Ron Roman, Director of Human Resources and promotion of Laura Prohov to Vice President of Community Services, Donna Pezzuto to Director of Innovative Programs, Grants and Government Affairs and Carole Klein-Alexander to Director of Marketing Management
- Successful planning and extremely positive results in the holding of inaugural “Celebrate CJE!” fundraising and community awareness program at Sheraton Hotel and Towers
- CJE staff wins industry awards. This includes Ludmila A. Luscika, In-Home Careworker being honored with the “Mary I. Hill Home Care Aide of the Year” award, Illinois Association of Community Care Program
- Deb DelSignore, Creative Arts Therapist, receives the “Shining Star Award,” Life Services Network (LSN) for outstanding activities programming; and Volunteer Department receives the “2006 Award of Achievement in Older Volunteer Program Management,” from the MetLife Foundation
- Continue to advance reputation in Alzheimer’s/dementia care with receipt of a research grant from the Alzheimer’s Association to study “Community Beliefs about Aging, Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia.”
- Receipt of a grant from the United Way to establish the Joint Ventures Program to provide learning, support and empowerment for older adults with early stage memory loss and their care partners
- Over 30 community education programs are presented to inform over 1,000 participants about the new Medicare Part D prescription drug program
- Planning and initiation of a 6-8 month renovation and improvement of corporate offices at Bernard Horwich JCC
- Initiation of a wide range of studies and work efforts to realize approved Strategic Plan growth strategy: downtown/Lake Shore Drive, Weinberg Campus, homecare, adult day services, care management and other programming
- Renovation of corporate offices is completed
- Creation of a Governance and Board Development Task Team and approval of new corporate by-laws
- Implementation of The Lakeshore Mercaz: Center for Older Adults, a collaboration between CJE and four near north synagogues to present high level educational programming
- Initiation of plans to expand the Weinberg Campus into a full CCRC
- Launch of the Center for Healthy Living to provide a wide-range of educational and wellness programs, services and screenings for older adults living at home throughout metropolitan Chicago
2008
- Selection of a new brand identity, after 36 years: CJE Senior Life. New name, tagline (Jewish Values for Positive Aging) and logo (an abstract of a pomegranate) is introduced to staff in December with launch to the community beginning in January 2008
- Continued positive assessment and planning for new Deerfield Campus with successful zoning and Expression of Interest Campaign
- Initiation of CJE at Sinai Adult Day Services program
- Initiation of Levy House renovation program
2009
- Successful completion of Levy House renovation program
- Initiation of Northwest suburban Culture Bus program
- Opening of Information and Marketing Center and initiation of sales program for Karmel
- Implementation of electronic medical record at Lieberman Center for Health and Rehabilitation
- Initiation of formal Employee Satisfaction Survey and Customer Service Assessment program
- Major revision of corporate By-laws resulting in more effective governance
2010
- Celebration of 30th anniversary at Swartzberg House
- Successful completion of renovation at Jarvis and Farwell
- Introduction of new Medicar transportation program
- Successful 5th annual Celebrate CJE event
2011
- Completion of renovations of lobby, first floor and short-term floor at Lieberman Center for Health and Rehabilitation
- Introduction of Parkinson’s Disease Management Program
- Decision to stop the Karmel Project due to economic conditions
- Initiation of activities to celebrate 30th Anniversary of Lieberman
- Initiation of activities to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of CJE
2012
- Initiation of the Transitional Care Program
- Decision to sell CJE Home Health
- Development of organization wide attributes of Trustworthy, Customer-centric and Innovative and identification of 40+ CJE programs under the categories of Life Enrichment, Supportive Resources, Health Care and Research and Education
2013
- Initiation of the Virtual Senior Center
- Refinement of CJE website with video streaming
- Update of CJE Strategic Plan
2014
- Obtained CARF accreditation at Lieberman Center for Health and Rehabilitation
- Obtained an extension of our Transitional Care Program
- Initiation of expansion of Friend Center and renovation of Gidwitz Place common areas
- Development of a 5-year long range Financial Plan
- Development of a 3-year Technology Plan
- Development of specialty programs at Lieberman Center for Health and Rehabilitation, including Center for Heart Health, Dialysis, Infusion and Wound Care
- CJE shows an increase in clients to serving 22,000 individuals and families this year
2015
- Holocaust Community Services returns to CJE after 12 years at JCFS
- CJE partners with NorthShore University HealthSystem on Jewish Hospice Program
- Served more than 23,000 clients/residents and their families
- Amy Eisenstein joins CJE as new Director of the Leonard Schanfield Research Institute
- Completion of the Transitional Care grant program, which served 3,800 clients, for which CJE was given national recognition
- Thomas Lockwood joins CJE as new VP of Finance/CFO
- 10th Anniversary of Celebrate CJE Honoring Jim Mills
- Dedication of Bernard Heerey Annex at Weinberg Community
- 35th Anniversary of Swartzberg House
2016
- Leonard Schanfield Research Institute received prestigious PCORI Grant
- Updated the Rehabilitation Gym at Lieberman
- Initiated Lieberman “+30” Transitional Nursing Program
- Doubled the client count at ADS North
- 300% increase in service to the Holocaust Community in the past three years and an increase of 81% in the past year
- CJE ended pilot program Virtual Senior Center
2017
- 45th anniversary of CJE SeniorLife
- 40th anniversary of ADS
- 35th anniversary of Lieberman Center for Health and Rehabilitation
- 25th anniversary of Krasnow Residence
- Closed Personal Care Department
- Lieberman CARF certified for In-Patient Rehabilitation Programs — Skilled Nursing
- Lieberman re-CARF certified as Person-Centered Long-Term Care Community
- Website hit over 100,000 visitor sessions
- Launched CJE’s first Instagram account
- Holocaust Community Services Served 1792 persons
2018
- Through JUF’s Fund for Innovation in Health, and support from another foundation, CJE launched new Care Management program for isolated older adults of limited financial means.
- Holocaust Community Services program released never Heard-Never Forget, a book of Holocaust Survivor Stories.
- President and CEO Mark Weiner retired after 14 years of dedicated service to the community.
- Launch of pilot Emergency Department Eldercare Navigators (EDEN) program at Glenbrook Hospital.
2019
- Dan Fagin appointed as new President and CEO.
- Launch of CJE Academy, an educational series for Connectional Learning.
- Construction of new independent senior living building, Tamarisk NorthShore, begins on Weinberg campus.
- Instant Israel launched to provide virtual reality tours in the Homeland.
- Margaret Danilovich, PT DPT, PhD named Senior Director of Research.
- Lieberman Center listed among TOP 30 nursing homes in Illinois.
2020
- Community Engagement expands My Go-To Place Niles program to additional location at Horwich Center for JCC Community Tuesdays in Chicago.
- As the pandemic strikes, CJE proclaims “Life Goes On” and applauds essential workers.
- CJE Counseling Services pivots to Telehealth in response to a shelter in place order and growing stress it had caused our seniors.
- Community Engagement launches CJE Cyber Club.
- We find new ways of keeping residents connected.
- Tamarisk NorthShore opens its doors in August to its first residents. (Take a Virtual Tour)
- CJE First Virtual Annual Meeting from Tamarisk NorthShore.
- For the first time in 48 years, Celebrate CJE was held virtually via Zoom.
- Adult Day Services—Evanston temporarily relocates to Village Center as ground is broken for a new building construction at Evanston site.
- Eversound amplifier headsets introduced at Weinberg Community and Lieberman Center to accommodate meetings between residents and their loved ones from a safe distance.
2021
- CJE reinstates its Diversity Committee as Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee
- Date is set and preparations kick off for 2021 Celebrate CJE
- CJE supports the JUF’s anti-hate message on social media and other platforms in response to recent acts targeting the Chicago area Jewish community.
- Adult Day Services Evanston reopens at temporary location at Village Center
- CJE Legal Help Desk is launched
- CJE bids farewell to Lieberman Center as it ends its 40 years of ownership of the facility
- Tamarisk NorthShore celebrates its first anniversary of its opening
- CJE receives accreditation by Better Business Bureau in its Charity Seal Program
2022
For 50 years, CJE SeniorLife has been a central resource and champion for older adults and their families by providing a range of solutions that enhance their quality of life while honoring their unique healthcare, lifestyle, and socio-economic needs. #CJEis50.
