When Marjorie moved from Ocean Parkway IRA in Brooklyn to the Forest Hills IRA in Queens last year, she left behind a close friend. Theresa was her roommate, and the two had always gotten along well. Last month, a surprise visit brought them back together.
Marjorie moved to Forest Hills when she needed more support, and a first-floor space became available. At Ocean Parkway, she had been more independent, often going out into the community on her own.
The distance between the two homes made visits hard, and staff noticed that Theresa missed her friend. Marjorie would sometimes call Ocean Parkway to ask for Theresa and check in. An Ocean Parkway staff member suggested the surprise visit, and ABIS Nicolett Alcide and DSP Phillip Bullock worked together to make it happen.
On a Sunday morning in September, another Ocean Parkway staff member drove Theresa to Forest Hills. Staff confirmed first that Theresa was feeling up to the trip, so Marjorie would not be set up for disappointment. Once Theresa was on her way, they told Marjorie she had company coming.
"It's about connection," said Taneka Sylvester, Program Supervisor at Forest Hills IRA. "We all want someone we feel we can relate to, someone who understands us and whom we understand, a companion we feel comfortable with."
Sylvester said Marjorie loves to engage with people and has a warm greeting for everyone she meets, so she was not surprised that Marjorie was so happy to see Theresa. "They're a few decades apart in age, but they still have that connection," she said.
“I was so happy to see my friend and can’t wait to see her again,” said Marjorie.
The two still stay in touch. Marjorie has Theresa's number saved in her phone and calls when she wants to. Staff at both homes help arrange visits.
Marjorie's life is full beyond that friendship. She still attends the same senior center in Brooklyn that she went to before her move, and she has made it clear she does not want to change, no matter the distance. In the community, she enjoys going out to eat, iced coffee from Dunkin' and browsing Five Below. She has also made new friends at Forest Hills.