Royal Smart stood between two women perched on barstools. The trio joked and reminisced about the one woman who was not with them, Royal’s wife of 58 years, Aileen, who had passed away less than 10 days earlier.
Smart, joined by Mary Ann Miller and Nancy Visk, was at the studio of At-A-Glance Marketing for the shooting of a DVD designed to educate community members about the value of services through Faith in Action McHenry County (FIAMC), a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing no-cost services to care recipients 60 years and older living in their own home, apartment or with a family member in McHenry County.
Smart, a national champion in the Senior Olympics, used FIAMC’s respite care service for more than two years to take care of his housebound wife while preparing for the 2007 National Senior Olympics in Kentucky. Miller and Visk served as volunteer caregivers with FIAMC and developed a deep, lasting friendship with Royal and Aileen Smart.
“We would play cards, but she would cheat,” laughed Visk lightheartedly. Smart recalled the times Visk would visit the Smart home and bring big band era music that Visk and Aileen Smart would “dance” to. He also thanked Miller, who lived in the same neigh- borhood, for “always being there.”
It is clear from the friendly banter that there was a heartfelt bond among the threesome that centered on Aileen Smart in the midst of her illness. When asked what was the single greatest thing derived from his relationship with FIAMC, a broad smile broke beneath Smart’s sports cap. “The friendships Aileen and I developed,” he says. “We’ve made so many lasting friendships through FIAMC.”
FIAMC, ten years old this month, is celebrating a decade of bringing people together and putting smiles on the faces of local seniors and their caregivers. The organization, which provides services such as friendly home visits and phone calls, shopping and errands, home maintenance and repairs, light yard work, light household chores, respite services and daily assurance calls, is committed to keeping McHenry County seniors in their homes for as long as possible.
“Although there are many resident facilities in our community that do an excellent job of taking care of our older community members, not everyone is best served in this way,” says FIAMC Executive Directory Rhonda Anderson. “We meet seniors every week who are perfectly capable of living rich, full and meaningful lives in their own homes, and in fact prefer the ‘comforts’ of their own homes. Unfortunately, the inability to drive threatens to force many seniors into living situations that they may not be ready for. FIAMC provides the support that helps offer these individuals more autonomy in their lifestyles.”
In addition to offering practical help for McHenry County seniors, FIAMC has also been known to quite literally deliver “smiles” to this growing population. Last summer, FIAMC, in conjunction with Telaflora and county florists, delivered more than 200 “smile” cups brimming with fresh, cheery blossoms to seniors in the county.
Whether it’s a ride to a medical or hair appointment, a minor home repair, the loan of a walker or just a friendly voice on the other end of the phone, FIAMC is ready to meet the diverse and growing practical and emotional needs of McHenry County seniors who live in their own or a loved one’s home.
“We seek to integrate practical help with emotional encouragement,” says Anderson. “We aim to give life enriching, as well as life sustaining support wherever we can.”
Back at the At-A-Glance studio, DVD producer Jared Silver wraps up the shoot. Smart leans to the left and then to the right to give a sincere hug to the women who lovingly cared for his late wife. The womens’ eyes grow moist with the gesture, and even the production team can be found wiping away a tear or two. It is clear from this interchange that a special bond exists among these people who would have otherwise been strangers. It is also clear that FIAMC delivers more than just help; FIAMC delivers hope and heart and creates a means to achieve genuine good living to the seniors of McHenry County who prefer the comforts of home.
