With well-kept grounds, and staff that greets everyone warmly, it is not surprising that there’s a four-year waiting list for one of the 75 units at Frances Manor in Des Plaines, one of Catholic Charities’ 19 affordable senior housing communities.
Since 1997, Frances Manor has been empowering seniors to age with dignity in a welcoming, affordable community.
“Our residents want to lead fulfilling and independent lives for as long as they are able,” says Gregg Fucik, who has been the Site Director there for more than 18 years. “It’s our mission to help make this happen.”
As with all Catholic Charities senior housing communities, Frances Manor’s apartments are available exclusively to low-income seniors. Even as market rents rise, they know they will never pay more than 30 percent of their income on their housing. A full-time, on-site care community coordinator is available to provide trusted advice on benefits, connect them to additional resources, and bring in special programs that promote healthy living.
While all these supports promote better outcomes and prevent premature transitions to nursing homes, they are only part of what makes Frances Manor so special. “It’s the community,” says Gregg. “When you live with neighbors who care, life is better. We all could benefit from more of this.”
Harnessing the power of community
Nestled in a safe space just off Golf Road in Des Plaines, Frances Manor is home to 100 seniors, with the average age of 82.
“We have more couples than any other Catholic Charities building — 24 in total,” Gregg says. “We have a very large Korean community, about 85%. Word has gotten out in the Korean community — they hear what a great place it is.”
Catholic Charities has harnessed the power of the community for residents as well as their families, welcoming them daily into Frances Manor.
Paul and his wife, Grace, learned about Frances Manor from friends when they lived in Koreatown on Chicago’s northwest side. They soon found fellowship at Frances Manor, where they have lived for 14 years.
“We are very happy here at Frances Manor,” says Paul, 92. “It’s a nice location, the hospital is not far, the shopping center is not far, the library is not far, and we use the fitness center, swim and walk a couple miles around the park every day.”
Keeping active
Frances Manor Care Coordinator Yoon Park, a native of Seoul, South Korea, makes it her mission to get the seniors involved socially in the community.
“I try my best to be creative and I try my best to connect with them and give them information,” says Yoon, who joined the Frances Manor team two years ago. She arranges in-home care, homemaker services, home-delivered meals, and more. She is also in charge of social activities, including weekly coffee chats, Bingo, monthly birthday parties, ice cream socials, and educational seminars.
Yoon says she admires the Frances Manor residents and finds her job rewarding, particularly when she can guide them to supportive services. She encourages residents to be active, and sees many jogging and walking every morning. Her door is always open.
“I don’t want them to get depressed,” she says, encouraging residents to connect. “I just listen to what they have to say.”
Building community
An in-house dance troupe is one of the community’s most popular activities, along with the weekly coffee chats, particularly among the women at Frances Manor, who will gather to often discuss religion and politics.
“We get together and talk about all the things you’re not supposed to talk about,” says resident Pyung Yoo.
In addition to care coordinators such as Yoon, each Catholic Charities senior community has a site director, an assistant site director, a maintenance coordinator, a cleaning service, and overnight security.
“My favorite thing about living here is that I feel safe,” says Frances Manor resident Ok Ja Hwang. “I feel like I belong.”
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