Sue Hriljac visits a nursing home at least once a month, but officials do not know when to expect her. She stops in unannounced to see residents who want to chat with her and tours the home.
“First, I just walk through and make sure it is clean, it smells good, there’s no clutter in the hallway,” said Hriljac, a volunteer for DuPage County’s Long Term Care Ombudsman Program.
She also looks for other signs that residents, some of whom are undergoing rehabilitation, are being treated well.
“I look to see how long they have to wait for [rehab] treatment, whether staff is wearing identification, and whether they knock before they go into a person’s room,” she said.
For people who may be too frail to advocate for their own care, Hriljac is their eyes, ears and voice.
“I’m looking at quality of life and to be sure they’re treated with dignity,” she said.
Hriljac, who is retired and lives in Darien, worked as a nurse and later as an attorney specializing in elder law.
Such specialized knowledge as Hriljac’s is not required to be an advocate, however, said Marla Fronczak, volunteer coordinator for DuPage County Senior Services.
The program needs between 10 to 15 additional volunteers who will receive a one-day training course as well as multiple supervised training visits to a nursing home.
Hriljac said she likes helping residents resolves issues related to their care. She said issues such as seeing that they get the condiments they want on their food trays or a change of rooms if they desire are not too minor to address.
“It’s important to them. This is their home. It’s a privilege for me to be small part of their day,” said Hriljac.
She added she likes the work because “it just feels right. I like being around older people. They have a lot of wisdom.”
Volunteers are assigned to a nursing home and are required to visit at least once a month. An informational meeting will be held at 9:30 a.m. Thursday in Room 3-500B at the Knuepfer Administration Building, 421 County Farm Rd. Wheaton. For more information, call 630-407-6489.
– – –
Fundraisers
*Students from St. Charles East and St. Charles North High Schools will hold a memorial concert in tribute to fellow student, athlete, musician and friend Tyler Caruso at 7 p.m. Thursday in Lincoln Park on Main Street between north 4th and 5th Streets. The event is sponsored by the schools’ student councils, with support from the Downtown St. Charles Partnership and the St. Charles Park District. Caruso, 17, died in 2004 of apparent cardiac arrest while spending the day at the beach with friends. The concert is free, but donations will be accepted for the Tyler Caruso Scholarship Fund set up to recognize outstanding students from both high schools. To date, 14 scholarships have been awarded in Caruso’s name. Call 630-513-5386 or visit www.dtown.org.
Volunteers
*The Sertoma Speech and Hearing Center, a nonprofit organization, will hold its 2007 Fantasy Baseball Camp for deaf, hard of hearing and speech-impaired children from 6 to 8 p.m. daily from June 25-29 at Hawkinson Ford Field, 14011 S. Kenton St., Crestwood. Volunteers are needed to serve as assistant coaches and sign-language interpreters. The minimum age to volunteer is 16. Call 708-599-9500 ext. 203.
*Elmhurst Lexington Health Care Center is seeking volunteers to work hands-on with residents doing a variety of activities such as arts and crafts, social activities, playing music or walking and exercising. The nursing home is at 420 W. Butterfield Rd., Elmhurst. Call Matt Budny at 630-832-2300.
*The Literacy Connection is seeking volunteers who can help adults learn to read. It will hold a free orientation session from 7 to 8:30 p.m. June 5 in the North Room of the Bartlett Public Library, 800 S. Bartlett Rd. Training workshops will follow from 6 to 8:45 p.m. on June 12, 14, 19, 21, 26 and 28. Call 847-742-6565
*Delnor-Community Hospital’s OrthoKids aquatic exercise class, a therapeutic class designed for children with neurological and orthopedic conditions, needs volunteers to work with children in class. The children can benefit from the properties of warm water to maximize movement and facilitate independence. Swimming and ambulation skills are not a prerequisite for volunteers. To keep the quality of this program at peak levels, a volunteer is provided for every child. Call 630-208-5510.
*Adventist St. Thomas Hospice needs volunteers for Tommy’s Kids Summer Camp, a children’s bereavement day camp, which will take place from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily from July 23 to 27 at Arabian Knights Farms, 6526 Clarendon Hills Rd., Willowbrook. Children ages 5 to 12 will have opportunities to talk about their loss, remember special times, make new friends and have fun. Volunteers will be trained in childhood development and grief. They will be required to attend two training sessions prior to camp. To register for camp or to volunteer, call 630-856-6985
*Glen Ellyn needs volunteers to help make the annual 4th of July celebration safe, fun and memorable. Help is needed at the Picnic in the Park, 4th of July parade, and for the bucket brigade at the fireworks. Call 630-858-7573.
———-
amannion@tribune.com
