Open Mike March 8, 2018

“I Was Meant to Be Here”: A Story of Transformation

Michael E. McRae
President & CEO, St. Ann’s Community
March 2018

Anna Myers admits she had a problem. She would spend all day in her house watching television. No socialization, no hobbies, no motivation.

“I was addicted to TV,” she says.

She had lost most of her family, including two brothers. She didn’t drive. And a traumatic experience as a child left her feeling unworthy of the company of others. The feeling worsened as she got older.

When she started having falls at home, resulting in broken bones, her doctor insisted she make some changes. When he suggested an Adult Day Program at St. Ann’s, Anna took it as a sign.

“St. Ann has been my patron saint all my life,” says Anna, 78. “I think I was meant to be here.”

She joined the Home Connection program at St. Ann’s in 2012, and it changed her life.

“All of a sudden, I have a family,” she says. “I’ve become a kinder, less irritable person. It took a long time, but I came out of myself. I love the people here and I love the staff.”

Anna spends her weekdays at Home Connection, which provides her with transportation to and from her East Rochester home. She enjoys the art projects, shopping trips, and musical entertainment. She’s made friends and can be found encouraging other participants to join in activities, helping those who need it.

Anna’s story is an example of the power that Adult Day Programs can have to change lives.

That’s why St. Ann’s Community is proud to bring its acclaimed Adult Day Services to Durand Senior Apartments, a new project being managed by Providence Housing.

Currently under construction on Culver Road in Irondequoit, Durand Senior Apartments will offer affordable housing for seniors age 55+. It will feature 65 one-bedroom and five two-bedroom apartments, including seven that are fully wheelchair accessible and three designed for hearing/visually impaired tenants.

It will also be the home of our newest Adult Day Program—the first to offer both social programming and skilled medical care at one location. That includes skilled nursing, physical therapy, and health monitoring as well as social activities, meals, and much more. (To get on an interest list for the Adult Day Program at Durand, call 697-6361.)

Our programs provide a safe, supervised social environment for seniors like Anna during the hours they need it most.

“Coming to St. Ann’s Adult Day program was the best thing for me,” Anna says. “If the time comes when I need a nursing home, I’m staying right here.”