Meet Odessa. For years, she had no options for affordable senior housing near her family. Boston traffic made the travel time between Odessa’s small apartment in Braintree and her son’s home in Billerica long and difficult. Odessa felt lonely and isolated from her family. Her son, Myles, constantly worried about not being able to get to Odessa when she needed help. When The Coolidge at Sudbury opened, everything changed.
“Moving into The Coolidge has literally been a life-changer for our whole family,” Myles tells us. “It has easily put 10–12 years back on my mom’s life. Being around people her own age, being able to socialize and take classes—it’s all been great for her. She loves that place so much; she no longer feels cooped up and she has so much more energy.”
At BBH, we know that seniors have specific needs, including opportunities to build community and services to support healthy aging. The Coolidge at Sudbury is an example of BBH’s award-winning service enriched housing model for seniors, complete with common spaces such as a meeting room, a library, and a fitness center and access to an on-site service coordinator who partners closely with local senior-service agencies to promote wellness, health, and educational programs. BBH is proud that we could give Odessa a home she can afford with the support that allows her to thrive but there are so many other individuals and families who still need affordable places to live.
“There was so much attention to detail put into The Coolidge to make it easy for seniors, and I can’t say enough great things about the amenities and the staff. It’s life-changing for me, too, being the one who cares for her. We love bringing the kids to visit, and I love knowing that my mom has everything she needs,” says Myles.
Now, Odessa gets to spend time with her grandchildren. Her son and daughter-in-law can take her to appointments and visit with her. To stay active and meet her neighbors, Odessa has joined the knitting club, attends chair exercise classes regularly, and joins her fellow residents for gatherings and celebrations. An avid reader, Odessa can also access the Sudbury Senior Center’s shuttle service to easily visit the local public library.
Odessa was thrilled to share her feelings about living at The Coolidge: “Everyone here is very friendly, they’ve made me feel comfortable and at home.”
