Sunny Hill staff members to give free programs to area groups

JOLIET -- Aging is part of life, but how you respond to the accompanying changes can make a big difference in the quality of living during those final years.

With that thought in mind, Karen Isberg Sorbero, administrator of county-owned Sunny Hill Skilled Rehab Center, 421 Doris Ave., and members of her staff have put together a speakers bureau.

“We know that for every family with a loved one at Sunny Hill, there are many more families with the same concerns and questions,” said Sorbero. “We decided that we could help a lot more people by providing programs for area groups.”

Suggested topics range from dealing with Alzheimer’s and advance directives to making a nursing home or hospital visit meaningful.

“If someone wants a program that’s not on our suggested list, we’ll do our best to come up with a program that meets their needs,” said Sorbero.

The seven participating speakers will be available days and evenings to do the free programs.

The speakers are:

Brian Cooper, a social worker since 1998. Before beginning his Sunny Hill career, he worked for a hospice program;

Andrea Dolan, financial director. She has been an accountant since 1987 and at Sunny Hill since 2002;

Becky Haldorson assistant administrator. She has nearly 20 years in long-term care, 12 years as a volunteer and staff member for the Alzheimer’s Association, and leads the local effort for the Illinois Pioneer Coalition for Culture Change and Long-term Care;

Judy Macha, assistant director of nursing. Macha has more than 35 years of long-term care nursing experience, 25 of which were in nursing management. She has held her current position for almost eight years;

Mary Sandelski, community liason/marketing director. She has more than 25 years experience as a registered respiratory therapist in hospital intensive care units. She changed her focus to long-term care and has been caring for elders for eight years;

Tammy Sangmeister, social services director. Sangmeister has more than 23 years at Sunny Hill, first as the activity director and now as director of the facility’s social services department. She also has been a part-time consultant to other long-term care facilities in therapeutic recreation and social services for 20 years;

Sorbero has been at Sunny Hill for more than 20 years. She has been in her current position since 2002, a licensed nursing home administrator since 1995. Prior to becoming the administrator, she was the activity director/volunteer coordinator.

To schedule a speaker, call (815) 727-8710 and have the following information available: name of organization, date and location of event, brief description of the event, approximate number to be in audience, the speaker you would like, and the topic you would like covered.