Senior Care Firm Opens New Office in Skokie

Written by Pam DeFiglio

Even though the ribbon-cutting festivities at Skokie's Home Instead Senior Care on Thursday included balloons, snacks and numerous visitors, Walter the Therapy Dog remained unflappable. 

The calm, affectionate canine has become a mascot of sorts for the agency, which outgrew its office on Bronx Avenue and had a ribbon cutting Thursday at its new, larger quarters at 8820 Niles Center Road.

Co-owners Mike and Jackie Melinger showed visitors the cheerfully-appointed office, where 12 employees work, and the training room, where its 184 caregivers get training at least once a month. 

"We had outgrown our old building," said Jackie Melinger, "and we really wanted to make a state of the art training room."

Some of the caregivers specialize in care for Alzheimer's patients, and receive dedicated training for that, Mike Melinger explained.

The couple owns the Skokie-based franchise of Home Instead, and they send caregivers to people living anywhere from Chicago's Gold Coast to Glencoe, and west to Des Plaines, Park Ridge and Norridge. There are about 11 other Home Instead franchises around Chicagoland, they said. 

Their office recently received a national honor when caregiver Mariana Selejan was selected as one of seven Caregivers of the Year out of Home Instead's 65,000 caregivers nationwide.

The agency's caregivers provide a range of services to seniors, from companionship services, which might include organizing the grocery list and prompting the client to take medication, to home helper services, such as cooking, light housekeeping and driving the client to the doctor.

They also provide personal care services, such as grooming, bathing, dressing and helping those with mobility and/or cognitive impairments.

Home Instead offers a free Alzheimer's Association Support Group to anyone caring for an Alzheimer's patient. You do not have to be a Home Instead client to attend. They take place the first Tuesday of every month at 6:30 p.m. at Home Instead, 8822 N. Niles Center Road, second floor. Contact Tessa at 847-673-1250 for information.

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