Advocate Condell Intergenerational Day Center Celebrates 20 Years

Advocate Condell Medical Center recently celebrated the 20-year anniversary of its Intergenerational Day Center, which has served over 2,000 children, seniors, and their families since opening in 1992.

“Over the past 20 years, we have been privileged to be part of the community and provide children a solid foundation to grow and develop,” said Advocate Condell Child Care Director Lynn Allison. “It's always amazing when children come back to visit and share their stories about the time they spent at the Day Center and the impact we had on their lives.”

The day was marked by a “circus celebration” for the children, older adults, and employees of the center. Ann Dorwin, a parent of the center as well as a former circus performer, volunteered her time and talents for this special occasion. She provided a juggling exercise for the children and joyous entertainment for all those involved.

The Day Center, which was built in 1992 with the purpose of providing a cross-generational care system, was the first intergenerational care center in the Midwest. The Day Center was a winner of the Governor's Award for Unique Achievement in 1994 when it became the first care center in Illinois to provide daily interaction between children and adults.

Advocate Condell's Day Center was established on the foundation of intergenerational programming. This includes shared and separate activities between adults and children in the center, providing everyday interactions between multiple generations.

The Intergenerational Day Center incorporates learning experiences into their daily routines, such as field trips, art and music therapy, and a family involvement program. Today, the Day Center continues to provide a unique and stimulating environment for older adults and children every day.

For more information on Advocate Condell's Intergenerational Day Center, you can visit www.advocatehealth.com/condell/intergenerationaldaycenter