Residents and staff members of Peter Sanborn Place, managed by full-service real estate and property management firm Peabody Properties, recently welcomed Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs (EOEA) Secretary Alice Bonner as well as Emily Cooper, EOEA Chief Housing Officer, and Robin Lipson, EOEA Chief Strategy Officer and Chief of Staff.
Secretary Bonner spent time with the residents and shared her warm and uplifting remarks on the Commonwealth’s goals and initiatives underway on age-friendly and inclusive communities. Peter Sanborn Place resident Mary Leonard presented Secretary Bonner with a keepsake binder, which included testimonials from the residents, highlights of programs and events, a staff team page, and some recent news articles that feature the many activities and events taking place at Peter Sanborn Place recently. Resident Eloise “Lovey” Shannon, a lifelong resident of Reading and longtime resident of Peter Sanborn Place (who celebrated her 104th birthday last fall!) invited Secretary Bonner and Cooper and Lipson into her apartment for a tour as well.
In addition to a tour of the community and shared refreshments with residents, the visit included presentations from some of Peter Sanborn Place’s community partners. Northeastern University Representative and Assistant Professor Dr. Miso Kim presented an overview of the Autonomy Project – a research study recently conducted with 12 residents of Peter Sanborn Place to better understand the health, social, and personal needs of those 65 years or older living with care requirements. She highlighted the research obtained from participating residents and shared that the study’s research has been accepted and will be presented further at conferences in Florida, Texas, London, and Milan.
The Middlesex Community College student nurses spoke to their clinical experience with participating residents. They shared their gratitude for being able to work in the homes of their “patients,” and found Peter Sanborn Place residents to be far more independent and healthy while living with chronic illness as a result of the benefits of a Supportive Housing Environment than those in similar health living in communities without additional supportive services.
Finally, Peter Sanborn Place’s Girl Scout Gold Award Winner Emily Nearing attested to the impact that her efforts have made on the Peter Sanborn Place community by bringing together residents with a monthly, inclusive event all the residents could look forward to. The dining/social experience she developed has been well received and has forged new friendships among neighbors while reestablishing old friendships. Nearing plans to pass on this program in its entirety to the North Reading High School’s Interact Club, who will continue to the relationship.
“The visit by Secretary Bonner, Robin Lipson and Emily Cooper was truly an honor, and we are so appreciative that this opportunity was made possible by EOEA,” said Marcy Brown, Resident Service Coordinator for Peter Sanborn Place. “Our staff is made up of people who work hard and are dedicated to creating an environment that offers aging with dignity at home, and we are grateful for the opportunity to showcase our efforts, as well as our wonderful and inspiring residents!”
