Click here to read the January Campus Connections.
Stay up-to-date with all of the information, training, and support that Misericordia provides to our wonderful staff! Everyone will benefit from reading Campus Connections!
To view previous Campus Connections click on Misericordia Info in the menu bar at the top of the page, and then click on Campus Connections.
by Judy Wall
Every Christmas, I send a tin of Misericordia brownies to my brother and his family in Atlanta. I address it to one of his kids, my 24-year-old nephew, Price. Price LOVES them, and my card with the brownies always says, "Dear Price, Please distribute these as you see fit." He MIGHT share a few of them with the rest of the family every now and again, but it’s rare. It's become a family tradition/joke.
Price also came to Misericordia a few years ago. He visited his cousin Christy at DT and brought McDonald’s lunch to her room there. During his visit, Price caught the heart of Mis, of the people who care for Christy and her friends, and of the life they have. We look forward to his thank-you notes after Christmas each year. Maybe others will enjoy them, too. Here are a couple of the notes:
Hello Friends. Hope you have had a great start to the new year!
As you may have heard, there was some news yesterday about the freeze to federal financial assistance programs, grants, etc. Please see the below from the Illinois Health Care Association (especially the third paragraph regarding Medicaid). The pause will have no impact on our current funding/programs, and we will continue to work with our associations/friends to monitor any potential future impact to Medicaid with respect to Misericordia and our residents.
THANK YOU to the 300 families who have already set up their Candy Days Giving Page. We are so grateful!
Please make it a priority to set up your personal fundraising page today.
All families who have set up a page by MIDNIGHT, April 14, will be entered into a drawing to win one of the following FOUR prizes:
For information and instructions on page setup, please visit Misericordia Candy Days 2025. If you would like us to set up your page, please reach out to:
Gregg Hartemayer (
Anne Mills (
Tim Young (
The in-person collection for Candy Days is just a few weeks away! We've made a huge shift this year, and we're using an online signup for all of our shifts. This online system will make it much easier for people to find out how they can help in a community close to them!
Click here to sign up for shifts, and please share this info widely with your friends and family!
During 2025, Misericordia will continue to recognize the hard work and dedication of the Staff with appreciation events. The following departments will be recognized with an appreciation luncheon (meals, staff gifts, and raffle) on Thursday, February 6th.
The Therapist 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).
Nurse Practitioners are licensed providers who manage the acute medical needs of the residents and ensure annual health exams and screenings are performed for optimal quality care and clinical safety.
The Physicians who guide care and support the medical and psychological needs of the residents. Thank you to Dr. Brenda Sikorski, Dr. Max Pitlosh, and our many independent specialty physicians.
The Dental Clinic provides dental services to residents on campus. Thank you to Dr. Ashley Kauffman and Dr. Daniel Bicknell.
Dietitians are licensed professionals who are trained in the use of food and nutrition to promote health and manage disease. They plan and conduct food service or nutritional programs to help people lead healthy lives.
Respiratory Aide maintains the medical equipment of the McAuley residents.
The Medical Clinic Clerk is an integral member of the Infection Prevention team. She helps plan and facilitate staff and resident vaccination clinics, creates educational content to keep our staff informed about illnesses and organizes important medical data.
In October of 2024, Misericordia took a proactive approach to mandate masking in resident care areas or when working directly with residents, effective November 1, 2024, through a tentative date of February 1, 2025.
This decision was based on a spike in COVID-19 we saw among both residents and staff in the months of November and December 2023.
Results of data monitoring of COVID-19 incidence in November and December 2024, as compared to those months in 2023, demonstrate an 86% reduction in COVID-19 infection amongst residents and an 87% reduction in COVID-19 infection amongst staff.
This data demonstrates a positive result in our attempts to reduce the occurrence of COVID-19 among residents and staff. Additionally, the CDC reported recently that seasonal influenza activity continues to increase and is elevated across most of the country. For these reasons, mandatory masking will be EXTENDED until March 1, 2025.
Please continue to reinforce compliance with masking within your areas to support all residents, staff, and families/visitors.
As part of strengthening our mission, Misericordia proudly serves as an active member of Together for Choice (TFC), a national organization that advocates for the rights of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) "to live, work, and thrive in a community or setting of their choice." TFC recently spotlighted Misericordia, which will host the 2025 TFC Conference.
Click here to watch us in a conversation with TFC about our community, the services provided, and our ongoing efforts to provide a continuum of care for children and adults with I/DD.
Click here to read the Campus Connections 2024 Year in Review!
Stay up-to-date with all of the information, training, and support that Misericordia provides to our wonderful staff!
To view previous Campus Connections click on Misericordia Info in the menu bar at the top of the page, and then click on Campus Connections.
Did you know Misericordia has a horticultural program? You may have heard we have a greenhouse, but wait, there's so much more! Click here to watch a video and read below to see everything that's going on in our garden areas on campus.
Video credit: Royce Butler
Dear Families and Sibs,
As all of you know first-hand, Misericordia is an amazing home and community. I have had the privilege of being a part of the Misericordia family for many years. I know your "kids" or "sibs" and I know a lot of families. It has been a journey with a lot of “highs” and a few “lows” and always interesting. Your family members here are so special to me and to all the staff. Getting to know you, the families has enriched my life a hundredfold. The very best part of my role was being in Social Service. It is how I connected with families, heard the stories and hopefully offered some support.
I was always a little worried when Sister Rosemary met new families. When talking with families she saw their need and knew resources were scarce. I knew then another home would be built! Her vision prompted the growth both on and off campus and kept us all busy. Quality in all aspects of the resident’s life was of utmost importance. We were able to do this because our philosophy of sharing in the care of our residents with the families and they embraced this philosophy and have always been there for us. Our staff over the years have been amazing. They are dedicated to the residents and want what is best for them always.
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