2024 Spring Activities with the Hartwell Place Community
This spring at Hartwell Place has been full of fun activities and outings. In February, Hartwell Place residents and team members took a trip to the Art Institute of Chicago. One of the best parts about being in Chicago is taking advantage of the museums and cultural institutions across our beautiful city. […]
CMSS Board Highlight: Eden Tekle
Meet Eden Tekle, one of the newest members of CMSS’ Board of Directors. Eden is the Managing Member/Head of People at Comprehensive Construction Solutions, a Minority/Women-Owned Business that provides facilities management, precision pipe fabrication, HVAC, and more. In this role, Eden develops and executes operational strategies, working closely with VPs, providing leadership to staff, and overseeing […]
National Honor Our LGBT Elders Day
May 16th is National Honor Our LGBT Elders Day. On this day, we recognize and celebrate the older adults whose activism and bravery have led to greater rights and acceptance for younger generations of LGBT+ individuals. While we celebrate the pioneers of the LGBT+ movement, this day is also a time to call attention to […]
Older Americans Month at CMSS: Powered by Connection
Established in 1963, Older Americans Month is celebrated each May. Led by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), a federal agency, Older Americans Month recognizes older Americans’ contributions, highlights aging trends, and reaffirms commitments to serving older adults in our communities. This year’s theme, “Powered by Connection,” focuses on the profound impact that meaningful connections […]
Hartwell Place Receives Choice Community Award From Holleran Consulting
Hartwell Place has been recognized for its excellent employee engagement by Holleran – a community engagement research and consulting organization.
Q&A with 2023 Spirit Award Honoree, Paula Basta
CMSS was excited to talk with Director Basta about recent IDoA accomplishments and current needs and trends in aging services.
Why We Call Ourselves “Non-Sectarian”
Chicago Methodist Senior Services (CMSS) is a non-sectarian and inclusive non-profit organization that provides residences and care to older adults and their families. Some people are surprised to hear us call ourselves “non-sectarian,” while the word “Methodist” clearly appears in our name. The explanation for what may seem like a contradiction, lies in our founding 125 years ago.
Music Therapy at CMSS with Nancy Swanson and Northshore Music Therapy, Inc.
For older adults living with dementia, music therapy can enhance quality of life. Nancy Swanson of Northshore Music Therapy, Inc. is a Board-Certified Music Therapist who works with CMSS residents. She spoke with us about her work and approaches.
Caring for Older LGBT+ Adults: An Insightful Media Interview on WGN Radio
Chicago Methodist Senior Services was recently invited to shed light on the importance of providing inclusive and compassionate care to older LGBT+ adults on live radio. Talkshow hostess, Lisa Dent, welcomed Katie Fasullo, Director of Population Health and Health Equity at CMSS, to an enlightening interview that aired amid Pride Month celebrations.
High Performers: CMSS Recognized in Long-Term Care Equality Index
CMSS is dedicated to providing a continuum of care that is inclusive to all older adults. This effort was recently recognized by the Long-Term Care Equality Index.
Taste of CMSS: A Culinary Celebration
Last week, we celebrated multiple cultures represented at CMSS through one thing that unites all people–food! Learn more about our Taste of CMSS festivities.
Bringing Art to Life – Art-Based Memory Program
Since 2016, CMSS has partnered with Bringing Art to Life, a program founded by Dr. Daniel C Potts in Alabama where it found success before beginning its first and only out-of-state location, here in Chicago with us. BATL is an intergenerational art therapy and life story preservation program for persons with Alzheimer’s disease and other […]
Maintaining a Culture of Person-Directed Care at the Pioneer Network Conference
Jeanne Heid-Grubman, CMSS’ Corporate Director of Memory Care, recently attended the ‘Pioneering a New Culture of Aging 2022 Conference’ to further the conversation about a positive culture within eldercare. The conference allowed attendees to learn about the many new methods and culture changes necessary to shift eldercare to a place where all care and support […]
Where is the “Q” in LGBT+?
In this article, we share why CMSS refers to our diverse programming as LGBT+ inclusive.
CMSS Receives 2022 Honoring Excellence Community Impact Award
Chicago Methodist Senior Service had the honor of being one of two recipients of the ‘2022 Honoring Excellence Community Impact Award’ by the Leading Age Illinois association.
CMSS Celebrates Healthcare Foodservice Workers Week
Join us in celebrating #HealthcareFoodserviceWorkersWeek, October 3-9, 2021 This year’s theme is “Healthcare Foodservice: Teamwork is our Secret Recipe.” This week is set aside annually to honor healthcare food and nutrition professionals. The food services department plays an integral part in our healthcare staff and is constantly evolving to find ways to make our residents […]
Reflecting on the last 30 years
Join us in celebrating #HealthcareEnvironmentalServicesWeek, September 12-18, 2021. This week, we are celebrating National Healthcare Environmental Services Week. Our Environmental Services team works around the clock to make sure CMSS delivers the highest standards of cleanliness and residents safety. On behalf of our leadership team, we want to take this week to recognize, appreciate and […]
The Resilient Tree and the Formidable Community
Everyone can agree that the holidays were different this year. Old traditions were disrupted and new ones were formed. People processed the changes differently. As for me, I got quite attached to my holiday tree. My partner and I decided to continue our long tradition of cutting down our tree. The one we picked out […]
Reflecting on 2020 and Looking Towards the Future
As we round out what’s been a challenging year for all, I’d like to take a moment to reflect. This year, many of us faced hardship, loss, and isolation, but we learned to adapt. The skills we were forced to hone allowed the CMSS community to be resilient in the face of new challenges. And […]
Celebrating LGBT+ History Month at CMSS
Chicago Methodist Senior Services joins SAGE (Services and Advocacy for LGBTQ Elders) in celebrating LGBTQ History Month. Since bringing West Suburban Senior Services’ SAGE program in Bellwood into the CMSS family, CMSS has intensified its efforts to understand and support LGBTQ older adults. CMSS partnered with SAGE last fall to go through the SAGECare training. […]
Three Ways CMSS Senior Connections is Making an Impact in Communities
Serving Adults. Supporting Independence. (SASI) has long been a staple of Chicago’s North Shore communities. CMSS Senior Connections volunteer program “brings the world in” for many older adults who are able to stay connected despite the challenging times we are living in. Senior Connections matches older adults with volunteer visitors to create personal, caring experiences […]
Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month
At CMSS, we believe that cultural and ethnic diversity should be honored and supported. CMSS staff, residents and community members come from all over the world; bringing with them varying beliefs, backgrounds and cultural practices. During Hispanic Heritage Month, we want to take time to acknowledge all the Hispanic members of our community. The History […]
Chicago Methodist Senior Services Acquires SASI (formerly known as Argentium Care)
Chicago Methodist Senior Services (CMSS) is beyond grateful for the unwavering support of Argentium Care, a nonprofit organization that CMSS acquired in the fall of 2019, which was comprised of an Evanston-based home services program and a volunteer-friendly visitor and friendly caller program. Our commitment to quality home services for older adults made it a […]
Reflecting on the CMSS Community During a Pandemic
When Illinois went on lockdown in March, no one knew what to expect. Many assumed it was an overreaction—a precautionary measure. This was only going to last a few weeks, right? Little did we know that our patience, resilience, and compassion would all be tested. Three months later, we’ve all endured hardships, but we’ve grown […]
CMSS Response to Racial Injustice Across the Country
Dear CMSS Community, Today, I write with a heavy heart and a deep desire for change. The senseless killing of George Floyd, another black man whose life was tragically stolen from him, has brought an eruption of civil unrest and calls for justice in this country. At CMSS, we have always condemned racism and hate, […]
