Fox Valley Community Services (FVCS), serving the communities of Sandwich, Somonauk, Plano, and seniors residing in the three counties of DeKalb, Kendall, and LaSalle, recently hired a new executive director.
The agency offers homemaker services to seniors, adult day services in Sandwich and DeKalb, and activities, as well as a site for congregate, home delivered meal, and transportation services in partnership with Voluntary Action Center of Northern Illinois.
Past executive director, Cindy Worsley retired in November after leading FVCS for more than 30 years. Anticipating her retirement, the Board of Directors conducted an extensive search and hired Suzanne Kinsey in June. Kinsey brings unique attributes to the agency. Her career path has encompassed leadership at several non-profits such as being the regional vice president at Help at Home, LLC. and the assisted living director at The Holmstad in Batavia. She has had experience working with special needs clients with deafness, as well as working with children and adolescents at in-patient psychiatric programs. She is fluent in sign language, trained in crisis intervention, and trained with the Alzheimer’s Association.
Kinsey worked alongside Worsley for several months when FVCS made the transition between the two leaders. “I have had the honor of taking over the reins from someone that is near and dear to the community,” Kinsey said. “Serving the community has always been my passion and career choice. I started my professional journey working with children and adults having cognitive and behavioral challenges. I experienced through them the struggles of identifying resources, obtaining funding, and participating in services. As my career evolved, I recognized that there was also a similar challenge in the senior population. The common thread across all groups using services is the need for information and education regarding the use of these resources.”
FVCS is an active community service center which offers information, resources, programs and social activities for seniors and their loved ones. The Center is taking new steps to continue to reach these goals including surveying participants about what they would like to see at FVCS. “We have spoken to our Area Agency on Aging to discuss enhancing services, we are developing a calendar for 2022 and beyond, that includes programs on health, mental health, safety, and resources, and I am also starting a coffee with the executive director meeting once a month to allow for continued input from our members,” Kinsey said.
Kinsey sees education as a new focus. “Fox Valley Community Services has served the community for 50 years. Our challenge, as is the challenge for all senior programs, is identifying and meeting the needs of the next generation. Individuals are retiring at an increased age. They find themselves pulled to support extended family. They are baby-sitters or raising grandchildren. They are working part-time jobs to supplement social security or to stay active. We, and the industry as a whole, have to adjust accordingly,” Kinsey said and added, “We need to identify how to best meet our new generation of seniors’ needs. Technology will be an essential part of this shift, as will whole person wellness and possibly inter-generational programming.”
Seniors and their caregivers, as well as the wider circle of policy-makers and funding sources need to be educated and informed, according to Kinsey. “Once we have educated someone, we need to create an environment, a culture, and a society that makes that individual feel safe and comfortable enough to seek out and use the resources,” she said.
As FVCS moves forward under Kinsey’s leadership, she said, “It is up to us to change the stigma of aging, to remember that we can affect the future, and to use our todays to make a positive change.”
Barb Nadeau is the community relations manager for the Voluntary Action Center of Northern Illinois, representing five counties. Barb has worked many years as a professional television and radio host, as well as a print and social media journalist, and as a volunteer coordination professional, networking amongst non-profit social service agencies throughout the State. She is a freelance writer and an elected alderman in the City government of Plano. Barb can be contacted at bvnadeau@gmail.com.