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Aging
Department awards individuals dedicated to preventing elder abuse in
Illinois
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[AUG. 2, 2005]
SPRINGFIELD -- The Illinois Department on Aging
hosted a three-day seminar last month aimed at increasing prevention
of elder abuse across the state and offering senior citizens
critical information on how to protect themselves from all sorts of
fraud, abuse and neglect. Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich also proclaimed
July 2005 as Elder Abuse Awareness Month in the state of Illinois.
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During the awards luncheon at the 19th annual Elder Rights
Conference, Illinois Department on Aging Director Charles D. Johnson
bestowed awards upon outstanding individuals dedicated to preventing
elder abuse in Illinois. The award winners are as follows:
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Outstanding Elder Abuse Caseworker of the Year -- Sandy
Denny of Galesburg works for Alternatives for the Older Adult in
their Galesburg office. Like any good elder abuse caseworker,
she knows she can't do it all by herself. She networks with
homemaker and home health agencies, hospitals, hospice, banks,
law enforcement, TRIAD, attorneys, state's attorneys and adult
day service providers. She has co-chaired the Golfers Against
Alzheimer's and works with many human service organizations. She
even co-founded the Knox County Senior Consortium so businesses
and agencies can share information about needs of seniors in
Knox and Warren counties. She is a trainer with B SAFE, a
statewide program that addresses financial exploitation against
older citizens, and works with so many different groups of
people that it is impossible to list. As the 2005 Outstanding
Elder Abuse Caseworker of the Year, she will receive a
scholarship to attend the annual Adult Protective Services
Conference later this year in San Antonio, Texas.
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Long Term Care Ombudsman of the Year -- Cathy Weightman-Moore
of Rockford has served as the regional ombudsman for the past 15
years at Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Rockford. Her work
on the statewide Community Integration Committee, the Regional
Systems Change grant and the Ombudsman Policy and Procedure
subgroup shows her commitment to residents throughout the state.
She has also served as president of the Illinois Association of
Long Term Care Ombudsmen.
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Long Term Care Ombudsman, Certificate of Recognition --
Beverly Nunnally of South Holland has worked at the Legal
Assistance Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago in South Holland
for more than two years. According to her nomination, she is as
an excellent role model for new staff and volunteer ombudsman,
is "fiercely determined," and will seek all avenues to improve
the quality of life for long-term care residents.
- Outstanding Long Term Care Ombudsman Volunteer of the Year
-- Sandra Casanzio of Rockford has been a volunteer with
Catholic Charities Long Term Care Ombudsman Program of Rockford
for three years and is a geriatric registered nurse with a
master's degree in pastoral studies from Loyola University.
Thanks to Casanzio and her tireless efforts, substantial
improvements have been made to a facility that was the source of
many complaints and had previously had a high number of
deficiencies.
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Long Term Care Ombudsman Volunteer, Certificate of
Recognition --
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John Granoski of Evanston volunteers at the Legal Assistance
Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago's Evanston office. He is
called a "goodwill ambassador" for the ombudsman program and is
well-known for his trademark overalls. He works with long-term
care residents on an individual basis and with groups through
resident councils.
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Dan Moy of Springfield has volunteered at the Illinois
Community Advocates for Residents' Empowerment office in
Springfield for the past three years. According to his
nomination, he always works with residents in a respectful
manner and is always willing to go the extra mile.
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Elder Abuse Caseworkers, Certificate of Recognition --
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Veronica Green of Hillsboro has worked in the health care
field for nearly 20 years and has a vast knowledge of resources.
She currently works with the Montgomery County Health
Department, based in Hillsboro.
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Angela DeRosa of Springfield serves as an elder abuse
caseworker at Senior Services of Central Illinois, based in
Springfield. In her nomination, she is described as relentless
and fearless in the pursuit of justice, once flustering some
financial abusers so badly they turned in a Social Security
check to her for fear of criminal charges.
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Julie Fleckenstein of Chicago has been with Catholic
Charities Elder Protective Services in Chicago for almost a
decade. Her background in case management and work in a
psychiatric facility and nursing home prepared her well for her
current job. While working full time to protect seniors from
elder abuse, she also attends school in the evening.
- Laura Hill of Oak Park has been with the Oak Park Township
Senior Services office in Oak Park for two years. Laura has
advocated for clients when other agencies have deemed the
situation hopeless. According to her nomination, she has the
ability to get clients to talk about issues they normally
wouldn't feel comfortable openly discussing. She is an
outstanding team player, always ready to accept new challenges
and someone who promotes harmony and enthusiasm within the
office.
[Illinois
Department on Aging news release]
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