A senior living complex, whether it be independent living, assisted living, or a nursing home, serves to help the elderly live out their final days in peace and comfort.   As an intern at Wittenberg Village in Crown Point, IN, I am getting a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to achieve this mission. Wittenberg creates a community by incorporating all three living models on the same campus.  Starting on the first day, I shadowed my highly experienced supervisor as he introduced me to both the staff and the residents.  I traveled to the company headquarters, preferably called the “ministry center”, in Arlington Heights, IL to sit in on a budget meeting and meet the executives.  Since then, I have shadowed and worked on projects for the various department heads.  For example, I have helped reorganize the filing system in medical records, conducted government-mandated cognitive function questionnaires to residents for social services, and followed the […]

To graduating from Valpo and settling back into my hometown of Aurora, Illinois – this past month has been a whirl-wind and I’ve been trying my best to get used to my post-grad life and my fellowship with the League of United Latin American Citizens in the local council in Aurora, Illinois. The president of the local council and my supervisor and mentor, Art Velasquez, who, despite being 80 years old, continues to be a fearless leader and champion for the rights of the Latino community in Aurora. Since first meeting and getting to know each other Art told me “mi’ja, we’re going to put you to work” [mi’ja roughly translates to ‘my daughter’ and is used as a term of endearment in the Latina/o community]. In getting to know his story and the various forms of discrimination and barriers he has faced and overcome, Art has mentored and inspired […]