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The apartment building where he was living was sold, and he couldn’t find an affordable place to live. His daughter was working at Boston Medical Center at the time, and was familiar with the Elders Living at Home Program (ELAHP). She told her father that maybe they could help. Bob moved into the ELAHP transitional unit at the Pine Street Inn. He remembers the experience well. “The program was very comfortable and very nice. I enjoyed every bit of being there. The staff that worked there was very nice.” ELAHP staff assisted Bob with the complicated process of applying for affordable housing, and within seven months, Bob had moved into his new apartment downtown. Since moving out of the shelter eight years ago, Bob hasn't had any difficulty maintaining his housing. He pays his rent and his bills on time, and he helps a friend he met in the shelter with grocery shopping. He says, “Since they've helped me be where I'm at, I haven't needed much. I'm glad there was such a program, otherwise my situation would have been pretty bad,” he says. Although he hasn't needed anything, Bob is confident that should he need something, ELAHP will be there for him. He stays in touch with the staff, and is looking forward to the annual Christmas party where he can catch up with friends from ELAHP. Bob happily reports that he recently signed his lease for another year.
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Like any other typical seventy-two year old, Bob loves to babysit for his six grandchildren. This past summer, several of them came regularly to his apartment during the day. “We had a ball,” he says with a laugh. But unlike other seventy-two year olds, eight years ago Bob couldn’t have dreamed of having his grandchildren over to visit, because he was homeless.
