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Anna, a resident at YAI’s Forest Hills Residence, recently celebrated her birthday with her husband Marty. As in past years, friends of the couple, along with staff members at the residence, celebrated the big day by throwing her a party.

What made the party exceptional is that Anna, who has a developmental disability, was turning 93 years old.

Over the past few decades, medical progress and greater access to services have enabled people with developmental disabilities to live longer than ever. And thanks in part to advances in therapy, healthcare and day services, people are also living healthier and happier lives. Anna is proof of this.

While some residents are aging gracefully in houses that have been refitted to meet the needs of seniors, new programs are opening specifically for elderly people with developmental disabilities. On May 6, YAI’s new Johnson Avenue Residence in Ronkonkoma, Long Island opened its doors for the first time. The home is a single-level house with complete accessibility so that elderly residents can easily get around. Besides being fully accessible, the house allows seniors with disabilities to live in dignity and comfort.

“Everyone has a single bedroom, which provides more privacy to residents and more space for staff to address clinical needs,” said David O’Keefe, Assistant Coordinator. “The opening of the residence, despite economic challenges across the field, is a great example of how the YAI community rallies to make dreams come true.”