“A Light at the end of the Tunnel” Donna’s Journey Out of Homelessness
Growing up in Milton, a suburb south of Boston, Donna never imagined herself being without a home one day. The good life she enjoyed unraveled when her father got diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Family tensions ensued after his death and she was left without a home. In 2018, she found herself at Father Bill’s which she initially thought to be a rectory where she could say some prayers during a most challenging period. Instead, she was met with shock and the sobering reality of confronting her own homelessness.
For two years, Donna was in and out of the emergency shelter at Father Bill’s in Quincy, during which she was connected to our primary care services at the BHCHP clinic on-site (this clinic closed in 2023). Her shoulder pain had worsened and after assessing her need for a second surgery, a clinic nurse referred Donna to the Barbara McInnis House, BHCHP’s 24×7 medical respite program located in Boston’s South End. Looking back on that experience, Donna shared, “Hope [the nurse] was a lifesaver and went the extra mile for me. She was a real advocate and I feel really blessed to have found McInnis. If I didn’t have McInnis to fall back to, it would have been a very dark road. I don’t even want to think about it.”
The Barbara McInnis House is the nation’s first medical respite facility for people experiencing homelessness. It provides a safe and comforting environment for unhoused individuals to receive consistent care as they recuperate from acute health challenges. Think injuries, infections, surgery, cancer treatment, palliative care, among the likes. Often, when our patients are discharged from the hospitals but not deemed safe to return to shelters or the streets, they are linked to our respite program where they can access our integrated, multidisciplinary team providing the highest quality health care services. Likewise, patients from our outpatient clinics, in the case of Donna, or our rough sleepers can also be connected directly with medical respite when needed.
Altogether, Donna stayed at McInnis for two separate occasions due to multiple surgeries. At first, she was hesitant to connect with other patients because she couldn’t relate to them easily. Her fallout into homelessness was so sudden and a complete turnaround from her former life. She thought, “How am I going to get through this? How am I going to accept that I’m homeless? What will happen?” She had lived a sheltered life with very little financial constraints and now with that gone, she was left with minimal coping skills to respond to becoming homeless. It took the efforts of many BHCHP staff who attentively and compassionately cared for her in respite to turn her life around. With much fondness and a tint of nostalgia, she says that time she spent at McInnis was the “big break” she desperately needed. “I marvel at McInnis for helping us in ways we wouldn’t have been able to do. They really go above and beyond to help with your health if you want it.”
Soon after, Donna got into housing and moved to a “nice, small apartment” outside of Boston. She continues to visit BHCHP for her primary care and behavioral health needs because she feels “very welcomed and safe”. Whilst staying in respite, she was diagnosed with diabetes and connected to our weekly wellness support group. For nearly four years now, this community has been another “godsend and uplifting experience” for Donna, helping her stay informed and be more proactive about her health. She has kept on top of her medications, learned to read food labels, cook with healthier alternatives, remain cognizant of her emotional eating, and so forth. Beyond these tangible benefits, she has made new friends and found a loving group that brings positive energy into her life. Says Donna, “It’s a bond like no other and it’s so genuine. When people join, they feel like there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. We’re all on the same boat and we can discuss different things and not be ashamed.”
During these challenging times of health care financing, we are especially grateful to all the financial support we receive from individuals, corporations and foundations. Your generosity is deeply appreciated by our patients and has a real impact on their lives. Thank you for keeping our mission close to your heart and standing by us as we provide medicine that matters. If you would like to make a tax-deductible gift to BHCHP, please click here.
