Endangered Seniors: Amber Alert Program for Senior Citizens in 2010

New Laws in Illinois for 2010

With the beginning of a new year and new legislative session underway, I intend to periodically focus attention in my e-newsletter on new laws that have gone into effect here in Illinois. You may or may not be aware of changes in the law that could have an impact on you, your family or your community, and I hope to offer an explanation as to why these laws were enacted.

Amber Alert Program for Seniors

The first new law of interest establishes an Amber Alert Program for Senior Citizens and is legislation that I worked on last year with Senator Maggie Crotty and the Illinois State Police. Senate Bill 27, now Public Act #96-0149, helps locate elderly individuals who are missing.

The new Endangered Missing Person Advisory Program, commonly referred to as a “Silver Alert”, establishes a regional system which enhances the ability of local police agencies to rapidly transmit information regarding the older adult who is often afflicted with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia and places a high priority in reporting, investigation and public notification. These new efforts are similar to Amber Alert which has been successful in locating children who are believed to have been abducted and in danger. Unfortunately, we have all read about cases of seniors wandering from home, getting disoriented or losing their way while driving. A delayed search can result in the loss of valuable time to locate a missing person.

The Illinois Department on Aging in coordination with the Illinois State Police is developing a community outreach program to promote awareness among the State’s healthcare facilities, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and other senior centers. The guidelines and procedures will ensure that specific health information about the missing person is not made public through the alert. State Police will determine whether the missing person is endangered or considered “high risk,” meaning circumstances indicate that the person may be at risk of injury or death. For more information about program services to assist older adults in Illinois and their caregivers, call the IDoA Senior HelpLine at 1-800-252-8966.

In addition, another new law relating to the same topic is House Bill 282, now Public Act #96-0442, which adds to the definition of "missing endangered senior", a person with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias who is reported missing. It provides that the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board shall conduct training programs for law enforcement personnel to assist in finding missing seniors as the population with this disease increases.

Making Meaningful New Year's Resolutions in 2010 by Dr. Nancy Devereux, Licensed Psychologist

Greetings for the New Year 2010 in the 21st Century! When we start a New Year, we make New Resolutions. Dr. Nancy Devereux, Licensed Psychologist, advises how to Make Meaningful New Year's Resolutions:

* Make your goal specific. Be precise. For instance, I am going to find a new job while I am looking for employment.

* Make it positive and be proactive. That is to say, I am going to set up a job network and follow up on all job leads provided, even by word-of-mouth.

* Break it into do-able steps. Start applying for every single job posting or listing you can find, anywhere.

* Visualize it. Imagine yourself performing the goal and enjoying the results. You might even tack a photo or magazine cut-out of a representation of your goal to inspire you. Picture going through the job interview and getting the job you want.

* Enhance the commitment by writing it down. Write your goals specifically. Journaling can help with perserverance. Keep a detailed list of all your job leads, telephone calls, Emails, and appointments, online-job applications.

* Round up your team or your coaches. Tell close friends or family members your plans and enlist their support. Set up a job network, job alerts, job postings, newsletters, bulletins, etc.

* Arrange your surroundings to support your goal. Plan ahead. Set up a job search resource center for yourself.

* Allow time. Research indicates that habit formation takes about three weeks to replace a less ideal habit with a healthy one.

* If you "fall off" track, don't give up or give in. Read your commitment or plan again, forgive yourself, and give yourself credit for your hard work and persistence.

* Use small, "healthy" rewards to keep you going.

--From High Hopes Brain Support Group by Dr. Nancy Devereux, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist at Marianjoy Rehabilitation Healthcare Center in Wheaton, Illinois USA

Remembering Mr. Roberto Hung on June 25, 2009

On December 22, 1996, Mr. Hung was injured at home in Lombard after 9:00 PM, before Christmas Day. After recovering from a stroke in 1997, Roberto Hung was throttled and murdered by the respiratory therapist Ben Aguilar at Vencor Northlake Hospital, on June 18, 1998.

On June 25th, 2009, I am remembering how Mr. Roberto Hung was murdered at Vencor Northlake Hospital by Respiratory Therapist Ben Aguilar, while my father was under the medical care of Dr. Grodzin, M.D. and previous medical care of Dr. Tom Cornwell, and Nurse Nancy Minch, R.N., and CNA Carol and Jennifer...

In Memoriam of Mr. Roberto Hung, J.D., Lombard homeowner, resident of DuPage County, Illinois USA

FOR THE RECORD, MR. ROBERTO HUNG, NEVER RECEIVED THE SENIOR CITIZENS HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION, EVEN THOUGH HE PAID IN FULL FOR THE PURCHASE OF THE LOMBARD HISTORIC BRICK BUNGALOW BUILT IN 1927. On September 2nd, 1993, Mr. Roberto Hung purchased the Lombard Historic Brick Bungalow from Debra Y. Sekrecki, with an initial down payment of $2,000, as earnest money paid by personal check, added to the total cash payment of $88,000 at a fixed interest rate not to exceed 8.00% per year, amortized over a period of fifteen (15) years. At the time, Debra Y. Sekrecki had two (2) children, a boy and a girl, lived with Stella, the tenant upstairs, and father Adam Sekrecki. On July 11, 1993, Mr. Roberto Hung signed a Standard Residential Sales Contract from the Du Page Association of Realtors in agreement to purchase the Lombard real estate property at 502 S. Westmore Avenue in Lombard, Illinois 60148-3028, owned by seller Debra Y. Sekrecki. The original closing date was scheduled on September 11, 1993. However, Roberto Hung was called by telephone to appear sooner on September 2nd, 1993, at 3:30 p.m., at the law office of Alan Dakoff, Telephone: 708-966-0488, located at 9291 North Maryland, in Niles, Illinois 60714, U.S.A. Century 21, Action Real Estate provided a Buyer Service Pledge presented by Steve Block, Telephone: 630-627-5500, and Dino, the real estate agent with Roberto Hung, signed in agreement. Afterwards, Roberto Hung received a copy of Rider 412, Buyer’s Inspection which he signed as buyer with Debra Sekrecki, as seller.

In 1993, Century 21, Action Real Estate described in a listing the Highlights of the Lombard Historic Brick Bungalow at the corner of Westmore Avenue and Washington Blvd., owned by Debra Y. Sekrecki with tenant Stella. At the time, the Du Page County Real Estate Taxes were only $2,744 for the brick house. After Roberto Hung purchased the same Lombard Brick House, the Lombard property taxes doubled for more than $4,000, without providing the Senior Citizens Homestead Exemption as a tax credit. This Lombard Brick Home is located near Westmore Elementary School and St. Pius X Church School, Jackson Middle School, and Willowbrook High School. George Hornbeck’s Parcel No. 06-09-315038 is a subdivision, spacious 4-bedroom brick home with a second floor in-law or potential income arrangement. There are nine (9) rooms available with hardwood floors. Full finished basement. Front and rear enclosed porches for added living space. Fully fenced yard with a gas grill. There is a 2-car garage. Public transportation is available. This Lombard home is close to school and shopping, near the Eastgate Center and State of Illinois facilities for the Secretary of State Vehicle Licenses Center and the Illinois Employment and Training Center (I.E.T.C.). Action Real Estate for Century 21 was serving Du Page and Cook counties at the Lombard Pines Shopping Center, 1125-J South Main Street, Lombard, Illinois 60148, in care of realtor Dino. The real estate closing documents for purchase were prepared by Attorney Dean G. Galanopoulos and Robert G. Galgan, Jr. Atty. No.1948, at 340 West Butterfield Road, Elmhurst, Illinois 60126.

The First State Bank of Maple Park mailed a letter on November 10, 1995 to Mr. Roberto Hung, which notified the Lombard homeowner that the bank was transferring the servicing of the Loan Mortgage to the Dime Savings Bank of New York, FSB, P.O. Box 985, Newark, New Jersey 07101-0985. Customer Service Park, 231 East Avenue, Suite 200, Tel. 1-800-222-0912. Robert Hung was informed that the mortgage rates would increase as a balloon mortgage for the Dime Savings Bank of New York. Since Robert Hung did not want to incur additional mortgage interest rates, He Decided To Pay in Full Cash for the remainder balance of the Lombard Real Estate Property for P.I.N. 06-09-315-038, Lot 2 in George P. Hornbeck’s Resubdivision of Part of the West one-half of the South West one-fourth of Section 9, Township 39 North, Range 11, East of the Third Meridian, According to the Plat thereof recorded on February 19, 1980 as Document No. R80-10413, in Du Page County, Illinois.

On September 2nd, 1996, Mr. Roberto Hung completed full cash payment of the Lombard Brick Home at First State Bank of Maple, located at 1100 County Line Road, Maple Park, Illinois 60151, in care of Joy S. Reynolds, Tel. (815) 827-4000, Fax. (815) 827-3207, Toll Free No. 1-800-449-2700, while Bruce Madden was president of the First State Bank, and witnessed by his daughter, Gardenia C. Hung, and the bank manager. Mr. Roberto Hung and his eldest daughter, married to Nathan S. Wittler, improved the Lombard Brick house by adding oak cabinets, an exterior halogen flood night light, (2) automatic garage door openers, changed all door locks, added gardening landscaping, apple trees orchard, and perennial flowers, and exotic plant species.

Specifications for the Lombard Historic Brick Bungalow: Living Room: 25.4 X 11.10 sq. ft. Dining Room: 13.1 X 13.2 sq. ft. Kitchen: 11.6 X 10.8 sq. ft. Master Bdrm: 11.10 X 10.6 sq. ft. Bedroom: 11.5 X 10.6 sq. ft. Bedroom: 11.3 X 10.0 sq. ft. Bedroom: 15.8 X 10.0 sq. ft. Living Room: 13.10 X 12.2 sq. ft. Kitchen: 15 X 14 sq. ft. Pantry: 6 X 4 sq. ft. Utilities in the Basement. Basement Full Finished. Storage Rooms: 2. Closets: 10 I think that this is an important bill. It will benefit the community at large by assisting in maintaining roads that are not normally maintained by a city or county government. Thank you for your support.

2008 Good News, Challenges, and Constraints: Peonies#links

2008 Good News, Challenges, and Constraints: Peonies#links

Peonies

Budding Peonies in 2009