Founded in 1974, AgeOptions (formerly the Area Agency on Aging) is a resource for the over-60 community in suburban Cook County. While the agency doesn't offer direct services, staffers here are ready to assist seniors in finding information about healthcare benefits, meal programs, jobs, abuse and neglect intervention and a host of other issues. The nonprofit serves about 460,000 seniors in 130 communities in Cook County.
The Palatine Senior Citizens Center, serving over 70 communities in the North and Northwest Suburbs, has been at this Quentin Rd. location since 1998. Although most patrons reside in Palatine and the surrounding area, there are no residency restrictions or membership requirements; anyone 50 years of age or older is welcome to use the facility. This center offers conveniences such as drop-in lunch, home-delivered meals, a food pantry, recreation center and a day-care program for adults with memory loss. A multilingual Social Services staff, fluent in Spanish, Russian and Polish, is available to assist seniors through issues such as immigration problems or health-care coverage complications. Activities include conversation clubs that create a comfortable environment for adults to practice their English, computer classes that teach participants basic skills and local and extended trips that give seniors a chance to travel to various locations.