Inside CJE Fall 2023

CJE Adult Day Services is a home away from home for many older individuals in the Chicago area. Its unique programming offers support, activities, stimulation, and community, while allowing family caregivers a respite. Clients can choose their various activities, and families can tailor the schedule from one to five days a week to best meet their loved one’s needs.

Last March, CJE reopened its newly refurbished Adult Day Services center, on Howard Street in Evanston. Shortly thereafter, the program hosted a reception for professionals in the field, to introduce them to its enhanced space and services. The remodel was configured with clients’ needs in mind, painted with soothing colors, and furnished to respect the clientele’s physical abilities. It has an expanded art room, and a hallway that has been reconfigured into a loop so that clients can enjoy a guided daytime walk.

Who can benefit from Adult Day Services?

Adult Day Services is geared toward older adults, particularly those with dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, social isolation, and similar cognitive and/or physical impairments. It supports them in a variety of ways, through innovative programs that address issues of memory, dementia, and physical and mental health. Activities include art and music therapy, physical activity, games, entertainment, and discussion.

“Adult Day Services gives independence to clients; many arrive on CJE transport, they come here, they have their own routine, they make their own choices, they get new experiences and meet people they would normally not meet,” says Tori Gruber, manager of the Adult Day Services program in Evanston. “We also have a social worker on staff who leads a support group for client families, so we try to provide wraparound care for not only the clients but the families as well.”

Clients come to Adult Day Services through word of mouth, as well as referrals from the VA, the Illinois Department of Aging, other social services agencies and community programs.

For more information on Adult Day Services or please call 773.508.1000.

CJE has long been a great resource for mental health services. It offers a variety of programs, including individual, family and group therapy, as well as a wide range of support groups. These services address subjects such as bereavement, caregiver stress, people aging alone, older adults with an adult family member with a disability, depression, anxiety, and chronic pain.

Sharon Dornberg-Lee, Clinical Director of Community Services, recently launched a new initiative called Your Mental Health Toolkit, underwritten by a generous two-year grant from the Jewish United Fund. The program consists of a series of short videos with CJE team members and clinicians teaching practical skills to improve or maintain one’s mental health. They can be used any time to hone skills learned in therapy, or to help one develop personal coping skills.

The videos work as stand-alone tools or can bridge the gap until formal mental health treatment commences. They also reinforce skills learned during therapy. “We are looking for ways to help folks, where they can either learn new skills or brush up on skills they have already learned from their therapists,” says Dornberg-Lee.

Your Mental Health Toolkit is available to all, even those who are not currently receiving assistance from Counseling Services at CJE, and it is completely free of charge.

The topics in the videos cover a lot of ground, including:

• Changing unhelpful thoughts to improve your mood
• Box breathing, a technique to calm your nervous system
• An introduction to PEARLS, an evidence-based approach to reduce symptoms of depression

The videos are available on the CJE website and YouTube. The first four installments, on the above topics, including one in Russian, are already posted, with more in production, coming soon.

August is known for celebrating the last days of summer, but this year it has an extra special meaning: It’s the third anniversary of Tamarisk NorthShore! Last month we gathered our residents, staff, and leadership to raise a glass and toast to the terrific community Tamarisk has become. Filled with rich opportunities and extraordinary people, Tamarisk makes it easy to live the life you love.

CJE SeniorLife is proud to be the manager of Tamarisk NorthShore, and to continue our legacy of enhancing the lives of those we serve. Our team is the foundation of Tamarisk; it provides exceptional service to our residents and guests every day. Drew Kowalski, Executive Director at Tamarisk NorthShore, implements this vision daily with his staff. “I am committed to making this the community where our residents and staff want to be. Within our leadership team we have over 70 years of experience in senior living, and the motto is, hire ‘the best of the best’ to work at Tamarisk. Our residents deserve this and more!”.

But don’t just take Drew’s word for it. One resident recently shared feedback, stating, “the entire staff is amazing. I have not seen one employee who hasn’t gone out of his or her way to make everyone feel valued and important. Tamarisk is a gem!”

Happy Anniversary to Tamarisk NorthShore!

Retirement living at Tamarisk NorthShore in Deerfield offers the exceptional amenities, services, and peace of mind you deserve—and the feeling of home you cherish. Come meet our team and learn more—you are always welcome.