The News-Gazette.com: CRIS Senior Services begins implementing changes

CRIS Senior Services begins implementing changes

By Pat Phillips

Tuesday, November 3, 2009 9:24 AM CDT

DANVILLE – Change is coming to CRIS Senior Services and its senior center. Some of it is already here.

The center, at 309 N. Franklin St., has had a face-lift – fresh paint, new carpet and artwork.

Veronica Martin, director of nutrition, has been implementing nutritional guidelines set down for both the home-delivered meals and the congregate meals, where qualifying seniors meet to eat together.

CRIS must follow guidelines of the East Central Illinois Area Agency on Aging, which provides the organization with money. The agency uses guidelines set forth in the Older Americans Act.

"Getting in compliance with guidelines has necessitated some changes like keeping the entire meal under 800 grams of sodium and adding fiber and fruit," Martin said. "No more white bread, but when you get a substitute of pumpkin bread, it probably makes it much easier to take."

Martin puts together the meal plans for the month and works with and gets approval from a dietitian at Provena United Samaritans Medical Center.

Veronica Martin, director of nutrition at CRIS Senior Services, serves a meal to Sharon Wright as Martha Smith waits to dig in Thursday at the facility in Danville. CRIS Senior Center is introducing a bistro menu on Thursdays that includes a panini, salad and soup. By Rick Danzl

"Just adding fiber and fruit meant a whole new menu," Martin said. "We had to get more creative, but I think it's working. The fact that the meals are prepared by O'Leary's helps too. We've seen a big increase in the number of people taking the home-delivered meals."

Those numbers have added two routes, which, in turn, created a need for more volunteers. The agency went to the Adopt-A-Route program earlier this year and recruited civic organizations and church groups to take specific routes and days and furnish the volunteers to deliver meals for six months to a year.

Now the groups remind volunteers of their times to deliver meals.

The CRIS Senior Center also serves breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday, except for holidays.

"We've seen around a 60 percent increase in subscribers to meals through the whole program," Martin said. "We've been saying Danville has an aging population for a while now. Well, it's here."

In Rankin, the number of people served has doubled. Hoopeston is up 70 percent over the past three years, Martin said.

"The community is becoming more educated as to what is available to them as well," Martin said. "People didn't think about needing this kind of help. Now, they are using every resource they can find as money is harder to come by."

People who once delivered meals to seniors on a regular basis are now receiving the meals as part of those people who can't get out or are recovering from illness or injury.

Before people start receiving home-delivered meals, a staff person visits for an assessment of needs. They can give information on programs that offer financial, functional and nutritional needs. If the client agrees, the staff person can refer them to other service providers such as the Vermilion County Health Department homemaker program.

The number of people eating meals at the senior center is higher for breakfast and tends to be male-dominated, while lunch is higher at the outlying meal sites around the county, where a breakfast program is not normally offered.

Martin is hoping that changes at least one day per week, as news of the Bistro Cafe menu available from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursdays gets around.

"We've been trying to be more contemporary," said agency CEO Amy Marchant. "We have younger older adults – the ones that don't think they're seniors. We're trying to change our face to be more appealing so we can help."

A name change for the agency is in the works, though not approved as yet.

"What's going to be important is to continue to help people age with grace and dignity. With education, they can stay as young as possible, as long as possible," Marchant added. "Part of that is eating healthier. And the cafe is going to help with that and be trendy. It will have music and move outside next spring and summer during the warmer months."

If you go

What: CRIS Senior Center Bistro Cafe.

Where: 309 N. Franklin St., Danville.

When: 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursdays.

Cost: $5 if older than 60; $7.50 if younger than 60.

Reservations: Required at least 24 hours in advance.

Included: Soup, salad and panini, prepared fresh. Fresh-brewed iced tea, coffee and milk are available.

For future menus and reservations, call the CRIS office at 443-2999.