Jim Harbaugh, 2022 Kenneth Hood Award Winner
The Village of Arlington Heights Senior Citizens Commission presented the 2022 Dr. Kenneth Hood Award winner to Jim Harbaugh. Mayor Thomas Hayes as well as members of the Arlington Heights Senior Centers Alzheimer's and Dementia Caregivers Support Group attended the event on Sept. 12, 2022.
Mr. Jim Harbaugh received five nominations that detailed the significance of his volunteering in Arlington Heights and the impact he has made upon caregivers. In 2015, Jim Harbaugh and Henry Blum started the Alzheimer's and Dementia Caregivers Support Group at the Arlington Heights Senior Center after Henry's wife died. To award the Dr. Kenneth Hood Award to Jim Harbaugh is especially fitting, as Dr. Hood was a dedicated caregiver to his wife, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's.
The Dr. Kenneth Hood Award is a once-in-a-lifetime award, bestowed by the Arlington Heights Senior Commission in order to recognize, acknowledge, and memorialize Dr. Kenneth Hood, who diligently and passionately served Arlington Heights as a committed volunteer and advocate for a better life for his fellow senior residents, for many decades. On his 100th birthday celebration on July 31, 2006, Dr. Hood advised that it was his time to "pass the torch" of volunteerism. This annual award reflects those in the community who continue to carry on Dr. Hood's dedication to giving back.
Jim Harbaugh has exemplified a volunteer's spirit through his enthusiastic leadership to the community for many years. Prior to volunteering at the Senior Center, he served as a High School Counselor for School District 214. Later, Jim brought his counseling and caregiving skills to those participating in the Alzheimer's and Dementia Caregivers Support Group at the Senior Center. Mr. Harbaugh has been an inclusive facilitator for the group and has helped to connect caregivers who are sharing in similar experiences. He has kept the group focused on assets available to caregivers and ways to negotiate this most devastating disease for both patient and caregiver. He has stressed that "no man is an island" and caregivers must also prioritize their own well-being in the midst of taking care of a loved one. "Jim's experience in counseling, his research into the field of caregiving, his genuine care for the group, and his non-judgmental approach have been a blessing for all of us," said John Scambler, a participant in the group.
The Kenneth Hood Award will be accepting nominations beginning in March 2023 and will be announced on Dr. Hood's birthday, July 31. To learn more about the past recipients of the award, please visit https://www.vah.com/cms/One.aspx?portalId=7230773&pageId=18383191