Marzena M’Barek (right) of Chicago, director of the Oak Park Arms Adult Day Care, helps Esperanza Parrish of Oak Park decorate a wreath on Monday. The center provides daily activities and meals for seniors. Photo by Ryan Pagelow

“The people are very welcoming. The food is good. I can’t think of anything that’s been done that hasn’t been right,” Schlichting said.

Schlichting was one of three Oak Park Arms residents present on Monday, the first day of the Adult Day Care program at the facility. Leaders of the rental retirement community expect attendance numbers to rise as word spreads about the program. Up to 40 individuals can participate daily in the program, which requires at least a two-day-per-week commitment.

Among the activities offered in the program, which provides care from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, are educational programs, performances, arts and crafts, discussion of current events, games, reminiscing opportunities, health maintenance and presentations from experts.

“The purpose of Oak Park Arms Adult Day Care is to provide personal attention and to promote social, physical and emotional well-being to seniors in a private, structured setting,” said Moses Williams, executive director of the Oak Park Arms.

“Participants will spend their daytime hours with their day care family, then return home in the evenings.”

Jill Wagner, marketing director for the Oak Park Arms, knows many families in the area would be ideal candidates for the private-pay program.

“There is a need in the community for enrichment programs during the day for older adults,” Wagner said. “There are seniors who live with their children or in the community who need enrichment, a more structured program during the day to keep then mentally and physically active.”

Wagner said a standard day for the program includes nine hours of care. She said staff will meet and greet participants at the curb of the Oak Park Arms for individuals dropping a loved one off on the way to work. Staffers then will escort participants to the fifth-floor social club, where the program is conducted.

Cost is $65 per day. Discounts are provided to individuals signed up for at least three days per week.

Esperanza Parrish, a program participant, was a chemist with DuPont, and, along with her late husband, helped to create the synthetic polyester fabric Dacron. Because of her work history, keeping Parrish busy during the day is important, according to Pat Koko, outreach coordinator at the Oak Park Arms.

On the first day, that mission was accomplished.

“I think it has been very busy,” Parrish said with a smile.

Parrish, who has lived at the Arms for six months, told Wagner she wanted to look at more of the photos used for the “Remember When” game. Because of deteriorating vision, Parrish cannot read. But by holding photos up close, she can see the images. When doing so, she had plenty of stories to share with program peers, said Koko, who led the game aimed at generating conversation.

Koko said the day care program will be tailored to individuals’ interests.

“We ask family members what their loved one likes to do,” said Koko. “We ask what they would like to learn. If they like gardening, we will get them involved with gardening.

“We are going to work with them to stay healthy. We will do puzzles, play card games, do baking. The idea is if they sit at home staring at the walls they will disintegrate really fast. We will talk about current events and history. We will have them share with us to keep them alert.”

Koko said residents of Oak Park Arms will volunteer with the Adult Day Care program and she expects much interaction between residents and community participants as the program grows.

By Kevin Beese
Oak Leaves – Jan. 9 2013

Lorry Schlichting, left, and Pat Koko decorate a wreath during the opening day of the Oak Park Arms Adult Day Care Center. Also working on a wreath is Esperanza Parrish and day care Director Marzena M’Barek. Photo by David Pierini

The facility, located on the fifth floor of the Arms where the Senior Services Center used to be, will provide socialization and stimulation for adults ages 55 and over, said the Arms’ marketing director, Jill Wagner. She said the staff wanted to make the program age-appropriate and take advantage of the fact that the participants already have life experiences. For example, Wagner said instead of just having a painting class at the day center, they could visit the Art Institute and pick out a work of art they’ve seen before to paint.

The day center will also help the participants’ families by giving them structure during the day, said Pat Koko, the program’s outreach coordinator. She said it will help keep their minds and bodies alert and active and their families won’t have to worry about whether they remembered to eat or turn off the stove.

Four people had signed up for the first day, and Koko said an activity called “remember when?” was already a hit. The participants were pulling out pictures from magazines of places and things from the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s, which brought about many memories and stories. One woman who is cognitively impaired was able to recognize a picture of Jackie Kennedy, Koko said. The program, which is open to anyone, will also incorporate other activities going on at the Arms.

Koko said the organized activities on a regular basis will help people do better for a longer period of time. Wagner said the plan for a day center came about because they learned that there were more adult children who have parents living with them. They wanted to cater to a senior population that has more sophisticated needs, she said. The location of the Arms is convenient for people who live in the area, or those who are dropping off their relatives from further suburbs on their way into Chicago, she added.

Much of the time is scheduled, but there’s always an opportunity for free time so participants can do things on their own. No one has to do any activity, but “sometimes having the opportunity is what people are lacking,” Wagner said.

The facility is open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Attendees are served breakfast, lunch and snacks prepared by a chef, and transportation to and from the facility is provided if necessary. Those dropping off their relatives can call ahead if they want a staff member to greet the participant at the door. There is a nurse available for people who need medication reminders, but Koko said they can’t accommodate people with serious cognitive impairments.

An open house will be held for the public on Jan. 23 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., Wagner said. For more information, call 708-386-4040.

By Devin Rose
Wednesday Journal – Jan. 8 2013

Pat Koko, outreach coordinator of the Oak Park Arms Adult Day Care with David Pope, Oak Park village president, after the Village of Oak Park proclaimed May as Older Americans Month and May 16 to 23 as Celebrating Seniors Week in Oak Park.

Oak Park resident Patricia Koko has joined the Oak Park Arms Retirement Community (OPA), as the Outreach Coordinator of the Adult Day Care Program. Her responsibilities include ensuring the community is aware of the program and how it operates, and encouraging caregivers to consider the value of such a program for a loved one who might benefit.

Koko is an active member of the Oak Park community and has been for decades. In addition to her extensive array of community participation, she currently serves as the president of the Mills Investment Club, treasurer of the Celebrating Seniors Coalition and the Senior Citizens Services Coordinating Council, and the newsletter editor of West Suburban Lapidary Club’s OPAL. She also sits on the board of the Oak Park Township Senior Advisory Council.

The Oak Park Arms named her “Volunteer Extraordinaire” in 2010, and she was celebrated for service “Above and Beyond” in 2011 from the Life Long Learning Center which is housed within The Arms.

“I love meeting and talking with new people,” Koko said. “If in the course of sharing I can help those who need it to see our Adult Day Care program as a way to add to the quality of their life and be of help to their loved one, I have succeeded. That makes me happy.”

Koko received a B.A. from the Rosary College of Arts and Sciences in River Forest. She spent her third year of college studying abroad at the Villa des Fougeres and Universite de Fribourg in Switzerland.

She has been married to her husband Paul for 46 years and the couple has a daughter, Marie, and an 18-year-old cat, Dinah.

For more information call Jill Wagner at 708-386-4040 or visit http://www.oakparkarms.com/.

About the Oak Park Arms
The Oak Park Arms is a rental retirement community which provides senior housing in the form of independent living and assisted living apartments. Additional services include short-term stays, a transitional care program, and an adult day care. “The Arms” opened as a luxurious hotel in 1922 and for decades, it was the scene of wedding receptions, proms and ballroom dances. In the mid-1970s, two friends bought the hotel and created an active retirement community that was – and remains – full of life, service and spirit. Today, the same two friends remain involved and committed to excellence, ensuring that The Arms continues as an industry leader with a legacy of eminence and distinction.

“The purpose of Oak Park Arms Adult Day Care is to provide personal attention and to promote social, physical and emotional well-being to seniors in a private, structured setting,” said Moses Williams, executive director of the Oak Park Arms.

“Participants will spend their daytime hours with their day care family, then return home in the evenings,” he explained.

A nurse consultant works with each program participant, his or her family and the staff to design individualized care plans that will optimize the adult day care experience. Among the array of activities will be educational programs, presentations from experts, performances, arts and crafts, current events, games, reminiscing opportunities and health maintenance.

Oak Park Arms Adult Day Care will operate from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Continental breakfast, a hot healthy lunch and a nutritious afternoon snack are served daily.

The program is housed within the award-winning Oak Park Arms Retirement Community in a safe and secure private area.

“Our adult day care is a healthy and safe place for a loved one,” Williams said. “Our promise is to enhance the lives of the people we serve. We are very proud to offer this new enrichment program.”

For more information, visit http://www.oakparkadultdaycare.com or call 708-386-4040.

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About the Oak Park Arms Retirement Community
The Oak Park Arms is a rental retirement community which provides senior housing in the form of independent living and assisted living apartments. Additional services include short-term stays, a transitional care program, and an adult day care. “The Arms” opened as a luxurious hotel in 1922 and for decades, it was the scene of wedding receptions, proms and ballroom dances. In the mid-1970s, two friends bought the hotel and created an active retirement community that was – and remains – full of life, service and spirit. Today, the same two friends remain involved and committed to excellence, ensuring that The Arms continues as an industry leader with a legacy of eminence and distinction.