Senior Home Care Cooperative

Annual Report for 1998

(Last updated 15 Feb 00) In 1998, the Senior Home Care Alternative continued to work toward achieving its first goal - that of developing a Senior Home Care Cooperative in the Chicago area. Specific accomplishments were as follows:

• Gathered information about the role of a developer in a project such as the Cooperative. Met with several people from non-profit organizations and with several developers who have experience in non-profit housing development.

• Found a developer to help guide the project as a consultant. Ken Rice, of LR Development Co., offered his assistance in writing up the pro forma financial plan for the purchase and management of an apartment building for the Cooperative.

• Obtained information about funds that help finance the purchase of real estate by non-profit organizations.

• Found a real estate agent, Elaine Thomopoulos, who agreed to help us locate a suitable 6-flat apartment building. Looked at a few buildings.

• Much time and thought went into trying to determine how the Cooperative fits into the existing structure of long-term care in Illinois. Met with several people in the field of long-term care to discuss the definitions and requirements for designations such as Assisted Living and Sheltered Care. Consulted several people at the Illinois Department of Public Health in Springfield who recommended that we submit a proposal to the Division of Long-Term Care Licensure asking for a ruling in advance on whether or not we would require a nursing home license.

• Began a data base for caregiving families to serve as a resource for ideas in further developing the structure of the Cooperative and as a pool for future recruitment of families for the Cooperative.

• Wrote a pilot questionnaire for family caregivers to determine their reactions to, and interest in, the Cooperative. Distributed questionnaire to seven family caregivers.

• Created and maintained a Web Page for the Senior Home Care Cooperative - http://care.spaces.org - with the help of John Cook.

• Submitted nine proposals for grants. Received no funding.

• Attended two accounting workshops sponsored by CPAs in the Public Interest, and two seminars on "The Responsibilities and Liabilities of the Officers and Directors of Non-Profit Organizations" offered by the Community Economic Development Law Project. Met with Bob Fickes to learn how to write press releases.

• Thanks to the grant from The Franciscan Foundation, was able to pay the Executive Directors for 68 hours of work (each) on the above activities.