Two Cook County health organizations will be honored for their efforts to support older adults during the pandemic, the Illinois Department on Aging (IDoA) announced Monday. IDoA Director Paula Basta will present the Governor’s Engaging Aging Award to the Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH) and Chicago Internal Medicine Practice and Research (CIMPAR) during a special ceremony on Monday, Dec. 13 at 1 p.m. at AgeOptions, located at 1048 Lake Street, Suite 300 in Oak Park.
“Widespread vaccination is our way out of this pandemic, and key to protecting ourselves, our loved ones and the broader community against serious COVID-19 infections,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Recognizing the importance of prioritizing the most vulnerable for early vaccination, CCDPH and CIMPAR worked closely with experts in the aging field to help senior Illinoisans access vaccines. This award is a testament to their hard work and commitment to meeting the needs of older adults during a critical time.”
The Governor’s Engaging Aging Award recognizes community organizations that have gone above and beyond to make a positive impact in the lives of older adults over the past year. Recipients are nominated by Illinois’ 13 Area Agencies on Aging.
AgeOptions, which serves more than 200,000 older adults and individuals with disabilities in suburban Cook County annually, nominated CCDPH for their continuous work to keep area residents informed and protected during the COVID-19 pandemic. As vaccines became available, CCDPH worked with AgeOptions and other partners to craft messages and strategies for vaccinations and priority populations. At AgeOptions’ request, the health department also added those who routinely come into contact with older adults, including family caregivers, Adult Protective Services workers and Long-term Care Ombudsmen, to the first priority group for vaccinations.
Working with AgeOptions and its partners, CCDPH and CIMPAR offered vaccination clinics throughout suburban Cook County so that the most vulnerable older adults and their caregivers could get registered by community organizations and receive their vaccine in a convenient location—avoiding the need to be internet fluent and find a rare vaccination slot at a drugstore. Their vaccination clinics reached more than 3,000 people in total and offered both weekend and curbside services, so family caregivers could bring homebound individuals to receive their shot from the comfort of the car.
“When it comes to protecting high-risk older adults from the worst of COVID, the most important step is to get them fully vaccinated,” said Paula Basta, Director of IDoA. “CCDPH and CIMPAR were true partners to our Aging Network, acting quickly to make vaccines accessible to thousands of older adults in the community, and I’m pleased to recognize their efforts with this award.”
IDoA serves and advocates for older Illinoisans and their caregivers by administering quality and culturally appropriate programs that promote partnerships and encourage independence, dignity, and quality of life. For information about the Department’s programs and services for older adults and persons with disabilities, visit https://www2.illinois.gov/aging/programs/Pages/default.aspx or contact the Senior HelpLine toll-free at 1-800-252-8966, Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.