ClarkLindsey Expands Its Commitment to Community Support Through Acquisition of Circle of Friends Adult Day Center
- ClarkLindsey
- Sep 4, 2024
- 3 min read
ClarkLindsey is preparing to take on a new role in community-based aging services through the planned purchase of Circle of Friends Adult Day Center in Champaign. The transition—led through its new sister organization, Lindsey Senior Solutions—aims to preserve an important local resource founded nearly three decades ago. While the ownership transfer is slightly delayed due to state credentialing processes, operations and participant services are expected to continue without interruption.
What Happened
Circle of Friends Adult Day Center, a long-standing program providing daytime support, engagement, and supervision for older adults, is preparing for a new chapter. Its co-founder, Kathy Rhoads, had casually suggested to ClarkLindsey that they consider taking over the center when she retired. That offhand remark eventually grew into a formal plan: Lindsey Senior Solutions will assume management and eventually ownership of the center, located on West Washington Street in Champaign.
Originally planned for October 1, the business transfer has been temporarily postponed because government credentialing agencies must finalize payment authorizations for participants who rely on programs such as Medicaid, state aging services, and veterans’ benefits. While the final sale date is pending, administrative and service continuity remain the primary focus.
ClarkLindsey leaders emphasized that Circle of Friends will keep its name, retain its mission, and maintain all existing payment options—including Illinois Department on Aging reimbursements, support from the Department of Human Services, Medicaid coverage, and Veterans Affairs payment contracts. Staff members are invited to remain through the transition, though some are leaving for personal or career reasons.
Co-founder Rhoads, who opened the center in 1997 with Carol Mauck, plans to step back to spend more time with family while remaining connected to work serving older adults.
Why This Matters
Resources like Circle of Friends play a crucial role in helping older adults maintain independence and social connection while giving caregivers reliable daytime support. Without a sustainable operational future, long-standing community programs like this can face closure—leaving families with fewer options.
ClarkLindsey’s willingness to support and maintain this service reflects a broader trend of senior living organizations expanding beyond residential care.
Increasingly, mission-driven providers are investing in community-based programs that meet people where they are and fill gaps in local aging services.
By preserving Circle of Friends and maintaining access for individuals who rely on government-funded programs, ClarkLindsey is helping ensure that adult day services in Champaign remain inclusive, stable, and community-focused.
Key Details at a Glance
Organization Being Acquired: Circle of Friends Adult Day Center, Champaign
Acquiring Entity: Lindsey Senior Solutions, part of the ClarkLindsey family of organizations
Original Founders: Kathy Rhoads and Carol Mauck (established 1997)
Transition Timeline:
Operational management begins Oct. 1
Sale delayed pending approval of state and federal payment contracts
Services to Continue:
All current government-funded payment options
VA benefits
Medicaid and Illinois Department on Aging support
Staffing: Employees encouraged to stay; natural turnover already occurring
Future Plans:
Maintain Circle of Friends name and programming
Perform building updates as needed, not immediate
Founder’s Next Chapter: Rhoads is retiring but plans to remain active in geriatric services
Broader Context
Across the country, nonprofit senior living organizations are increasingly stepping in to support or preserve essential community services such as adult day centers. These programs provide early interventions that help people delay or avoid more intensive forms of care, reduce caregiver stress, and support aging in place—an approach preferred by many older adults.
ClarkLindsey’s involvement reflects this national shift toward integrated aging services that combine residential offerings with community-based support. By sustaining Circle of Friends, ClarkLindsey is helping protect a vital resource during a time when adult day programs face staffing challenges, funding pressures, and, in many communities, closure.
This transition strengthens the local network of services available to families navigating cognitive changes, mobility challenges, or caregiving responsibilities—ensuring continuity for a program many have relied on for decades.
Source Attribution
This post is based on publicly reported information originally covered by The News-Gazette.
