Heart of Mercy Village: Suburbia on the Misericordia Campus
by Linda Buchalo
Our last stop on the tour of Misericordia residences is the Heart of Mercy Village. You might mistake the nine homes that make up the Village as a suburban development, but look again—these lovely homes are nestled together within the Misericordia campus. The homes were built in 1983–1984 on the northeast corner of the campus. Each home is unique, primarily brick, but differs slightly, making this part of campus look very much like a typical neighborhood. Each home has its own patio for outdoor dining or taking advantage of nice weather.
Within the last ten years, the homes were remodeled. The wallpaper came down to make way for a more modern look. The patios were updated—each now has two large tables, a rocking swing, and a grill. Amina Grace Gardens was constructed within the Village and provides a beautiful landscape with various plantings, including pear trees and vegetable gardens.
Each home has lots of windows, a living room, dining room, kitchen, resident bedrooms, and a recreation room in the basement. Most of the homes also have a den/TV room. The walls within each home display a variety of artwork and sports memorabilia. Each kitchen has two refrigerators, two ovens, a stove top and sink to serve the large “families” that occupy these homes. The den areas often have DVD players and video game systems. Bedrooms are decorated to the taste of their occupants.
A single home serves twelve men or women. There are five homes for males and four for females. Two to three staff are in attendance during the daytime and evening hours and each home has one overnight staff. Staff provide support and supervision 24 hours a day, working on self-help skills, daily living activities, and appropriate social skills.
Residents are fairly independent; most benefit by smaller group settings. Village residents are ambulatory, although some may use a walker for long distances. Residents represent a range of ages—from recent high school graduates to folks in their senior years.
The daily routines differ by home, but residents typically rise at 7AM Monday through Friday. The morning routine includes showers, medicines, and breakfast, followed by a walk to work at Conway or to the pool and fitness center. Village residents return to their homes for lunch each day from 12–1, and then return to their scheduled routine until 3:30. A few residents have jobs in the community; several enclave groups help to clean the grounds at Loyola University.
Afternoons are filled with group activities, including beading, latch hook, Special Olympics sports, Village art group, and choir. Listening to music and watching movies are a favorite form of entertainment. Many of the residents enjoy movie night, holiday parties, BBQs, and birthday celebrations. Others like to ride the three-wheel bikes around the Village, go for walks, and go on community outings with staff and peers.
Regularly scheduled activities include Tuesday beading, Friday bingo, Saturday Mass, and Special Olympics practice throughout the week.
Residents are also actively involved in typical family activities, such as household chores. Staff help each day to get dinner on the table, but the residents in each home lend a hand. A family-style dinner is the highlight of every evening.
Interaction with other areas on campus has been limited because of the pandemic, but residents see others in passing throughout the workday, on campus walks, and at campus holiday parties and special events. With restrictions easing, everyone looks forward to resuming favorite activities and community outings. Past events have included the circus, the Chicago Auto Show, a trip to Navy Pier, fishing at the Skokie Lagoon, walks in nearby nature preserves, bowling, sporting events, movies, picnics, and eating at area restaurants.
Though part of the larger Misericordia community, the Village is its own neighborhood on campus. The homes are situated in close proximity and the residents form a close-knit community, participating in both planned and impromptu activities.
What do the Village people have to say about their homes? “Marvelous,” says Michael, and Alex says, “People are good, staff are good. They can help you with problems and everything is great.”
I hope you’ve enjoyed this tour of the on-campus residences at Misericordia. I don’t know about you, but I think I could settle into any one of these great homes.
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