$10,800 Loan Bolsters Adult Day Care for Active 60-plus Adults
April 18, 2024
NORTHERN ILLINOIS COMMUNITY VENTURES (NICV)
Brittney Jeter was 10 years old when she witnessed her grandmother and legal guardian, the most important person in her world, slowly decline due to cancer.
“She looked like she was suffering. I didn’t understand why she looked so bad,” said Jeter, 38, of Richton Park, Illinois. “I became a nurse because I wanted to help people when they couldn’t help themselves.”
She became a certified nursing assistant (CNA) and showed so much passion for the work that her colleagues urged her to continue her education. As a medical assistant, she gained experience in managed care and found herself working often with seniors over 60 who were active, high-functioning and resilient before an accident or medical condition landed them in a care facility.
“Sixty is a common number where things will change in their lives,” she said. “Whether it’s health risks like blood pressure, diabetes or risk of injuries. They’re not frail, but they may have moments when they need a little more support.”
Her concept of the Young 60 Plus Club was inspired as a result of the pandemic, she said. In August 2020, Jeter answered the call from the Illinois Department of Health for volunteer nurses to assist in the state’s COVID response in two critical areas: long-term care facilities and prisons — high congregating areas with a high risk of infection for seniors who are more vulnerable to communicable diseases.
“When you meet someone coming into a care facility, they explain their story. They may have had a traumatic fall and their family couldn’t care for them. The majority of the stories I heard were from people who didn’t feel they belonged there.”
Jeter, an LPN/ADN and infectious disease preventionist, also took into consideration the high rates of depression and suicide among older adults as they lose friends and loved ones and wind up living alone.
“The more time I spent learning people, I thought, OK, this is really bad. I look at people over 60, they’re still doing better than some people my age. Most programs are only created for people 60 and over after they have an issue. I wanted to do something different.”
The Young 60 Plus Club takes a proactive versus a reactive approach to helping seniors stay active, connected and remain independent longer. On March 28, with the help of a $10,800 loan from Northern Illinois Community Ventures (NICV) partner Allies for Community Business (A4CB), a community development financial institution based in Chicago, Jeter marked the grand opening of the Y60+ Club at 4437 Lincoln Hwy., in Matteson, Illinois. The fully renovated space can accommodate up to 40 people. There are areas dedicated to game play, exercise, quiet time and even massages and facials. Jeter said the loan will support activities, renting the space, and hiring staff.
The Club is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and is currently offering potential clients a three-day trial period at half price. Jeter recommends seniors participate a minimum of two days a week to receive the full benefits of the program, which includes meals served three times a day.
Now that the Club is up and running, Jeter’s next goal is to recruit young people to spend time with the seniors.