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Showing posts with label Illinois Representative Sandra Pihos. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Illinois Representative Sandra Pihos. Show all posts

Friday, April 9, 2010

SENIOR HEALTH FAIR AT YORK TOWNSHIP IN LOMBARD, APRIL 16, 2010

SAVE THE DATE----Free Senior Event—APRIL 16TH

Seniors, their families, and friends are all invited to Representative Sandra Pihos’ annual Senior Fair on April 16th! Along with free admission, there will be free refreshments and a chance to win great door prizes! Free medical screenigss include vision testing, blood pressure screenings, massages, spinal analysis and more. Information regarding legal, financial, medical, assisted living and home health care issues will also be available. Additionally, the Secretary of State office will be on hand to renew state IDs and Driver’s Licenses. Dr. Gupta, a retina specialist from DuPage Medical Group will speak on macular degeneration at 12:30 PM

The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the York Township Senior Center, 1502 S. Meyers Rd., Lombard. This informal but informative fair gives seniors an opportunity to chat with the Representative, gather health and lifestyle information, receive important medical screenings, and win some great prizes!

Please call Representative Pihos’ office at 630-858-8855 if you would like more information.

Monday, January 25, 2010

Missing Endangered Seniors: Amber Alert Program for Seniors

New Laws in Illinois

With the beginning of a new year and new legislative session underway, I intend to periodically focus attention in my e-newsletter on new laws that have gone into effect here in Illinois. You may or may not be aware of changes in the law that could have an impact on you, your family or your community, and I hope to offer an explanation as to why these laws were enacted.

Amber Alert Program for Seniors

The first new law of interest establishes an Amber Alert Program for Senior Citizens and is legislation that I worked on last year with Senator Maggie Crotty and the Illinois State Police. Senate Bill 27, now Public Act #96-0149, helps locate elderly individuals who are missing.

The new Endangered Missing Person Advisory Program, commonly referred to as a “Silver Alert”, establishes a regional system which enhances the ability of local police agencies to rapidly transmit information regarding the older adult who is often afflicted with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia and places a high priority in reporting, investigation and public notification. These new efforts are similar to Amber Alert which has been successful in locating children who are believed to have been abducted and in danger. Unfortunately, we have all read about cases of seniors wandering from home, getting disoriented or losing their way while driving. A delayed search can result in the loss of valuable time to locate a missing person.

The Illinois Department on Aging in coordination with the Illinois State Police is developing a community outreach program to promote awareness among the State’s healthcare facilities, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and other senior centers. The guidelines and procedures will ensure that specific health information about the missing person is not made public through the alert. State Police will determine whether the missing person is endangered or considered “high risk,” meaning circumstances indicate that the person may be at risk of injury or death. For more information about program services to assist older adults in Illinois and their caregivers, call the IDoA Senior HelpLine at 1-800-252-8966.

In addition, another new law relating to the same topic is House Bill 282, now Public Act #96-0442, which adds to the definition of "missing endangered senior", a person with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias who is reported missing. It provides that the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board shall conduct training programs for law enforcement personnel to assist in finding missing seniors as the population with this disease increases.