March 6, 2022
Every month this year, Misericordia will be recognizing different departments with Appreciation Events. The February event honored staff from five departments with a catered lunch, Misericordia gift, raffle drawings and posters with notes of thanks from families.
We need your help this month as we recognize the following departments:
We would like to share some updates on life here at Misericordia. Thank goodness it has been relatively quiet!
We hope all our families are staying healthy. As always, please feel free to call or email me with any questions.
Mary Pat O'Brien
Assistant Executive Director
Dear SIBs,
Please see the below video presentation for our Annual Sibling Meeting. We so wish we could be together in the Jean Marie Ryan Center this year, however, we are still so grateful for your time and tuning in to hear these important messages and updates. Below are the links to:
1.) Donate for your Annual Sibling Donation
(Please designate your gift to "Sibling Organization")
2.) Candy Days 2021 Giving Page Set Up Instructions
3.) The Artist in All - Changing Colors 2021 Summary Report
4.) The Annual Family/Sibling Fundraiser Report
5.) Information about the Misericordia Heart Racers Chicago Marathon Group
by Kathryn Moery
A number of parents attending a recent meeting asked for some guidance on how to help their children handle the changes that the coronavirus has brought.
Geana Connelly, Administrator of Clinical Services and Strategic Planning, shared her insights on how the residents and the campus has responded and adjusted in this time of covid. Overall, the residents have shown amazing resilience. Access to the campus environment and services, reduced feelings of isolation. The continuity of their connectedness to our Misericordia community and their families was an important factor throughout Covid even though it looked different at times. Residents and families learned to use technology in the absence of face to face visits. They adjusted and adapted to what was in front of them at the time. While the residents are back to experiencing home visits again, many residents and families still look forward to their family zoom time as a way to catch up regularly. In addition to using technology to connect with their families, the residents have also had opportunities to connect virtually with their friends across campus which has been an important factor for our residents. Today, the virtual platform, Staying Connected continues to be offered weekly and is a resource many of the residents look forward to.
Every month this year, Misericordia will be recognizing different departments with an Appreciation Event. We are requesting your help this month as the following departments will be recognized at an appreciation luncheon on Wednesday, February 23rd, in the Jean Marie Ryan Center:
The Resource/Recreation group includes recreation therapists, recreation specialists and a music therapist. They are responsible for Special Olympics, the Heartbreakers and Showtime plus many of the events that happen on campus such as yoga, art and team sports.
The Fitness/Pool group assesses residents to provide appropriate workouts and modified exercises to meet their individual needs. There are swim classes, swim team practices, water basketball and free swim. Residents have access to treadmills, bikes, weights and wheelchair accessible equipment.
The Therapists group consists of physical therapists (PTs), occupational therapists (OTs), speech language pathologists (SLPs), a certified occupational therapist assistant (COTA) and a physical therapy assistant (PTA).
The Community Outreach program offers parent support and quality programs to families in the Chicago area with children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Ministry offers the virtual weekly Mass and supports the diverse religious backgrounds of Misericordia residents.
Home Visit MedicationsMisericordia has recently been experiencing issues with medications for Home Visit. In lieu of sending meds via FedEx and Misericordia incurring the cost, we are offering the following options available to families:
New this year, we did not mail out the MFA Benefit printed materials “Packets” to the MFA membership with the anticipation that that everyone will go to the Benefit website mfabenefit.org to read the “Packet” documents and print them as needed. They can be found under the Documents item on the Benefit website’s menu bar. The Benefit Guide and the other 9 documents provide great information about the Benefit.
There are extra paper copies of the Raffles Flyer and Ad Book order forms available in a file box in the vestibule at Thome reception if you are unable to print these at home. If you do need a printed “Packet”, please contact Beth Donovan at 630-890-2655 and she will make sure there is one available for you to pick up at Thome.
This past week, prize winning photojournalist and documentarian, Steve Schapiro passed away. He is best known for his photos of key moments in the Civil Rights Movement, the film industry and documenting the lives of some of the most notable figures in our recent history. At Misericordia he will be remembered as the kind gentleman who captured how beautiful our residents are and the amazing quality of life they have here at Misericordia every day. The Misericordia photo book, "Together We Celebrate" is an absolute treasure and we are forever grateful.
January 20, 2022
Dear Families,
As always, I continue to be overwhelmed by our families’ unbelievably generous achievement in your fundraising efforts. Even though the MFA Benefit was a virtual event, the results were remarkable! You, united as one, raised $1,673,000!!! How blessed we are to be able to claim you all as our own.
I continue to believe we have the very best Family Organization for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the country. (If anyone can challenge this, please let me know!) I’m so proud of every member who always goes the extra mile. Your loving gratitude to Misericordia is so obvious! To call each of you generous members of our Misericordia is such a joy.
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