Member Story: Ann Sullivan
When Ann Sullivan was growing up in the 1950s, Winthrop felt like a different world compared to what it’s like today. Ann’s childhood was idyllic and decidedly undramatic. Like a scene out of Ozzie and Harriet, Ann’s father came home from work every day to a loving wife who doted on their children. Ann went to school at Winthrop High and graduated from Salem State College in 1973. After teaching in Marblehead for two years, Ann found it tough to make a living, so she took a job at Burns and Levinson, a large law firm on Milk Street in downtown Boston.
In 1987, Ann married and moved down to Weymouth, where she lived for 25 years. “I had two children there, John and Andrew,” Ann says fondly. Gradually, Ann watched her children grow up to be fine young men. Andrew studied marketing at Bunker Hill Community College and works in real estate. John, a union carpenter, served in the air force and is now in the air force reserve.
After many years, living in Weymouth became difficult for Ann. Her husband passed away and Ann found herself living alone. The house needed a lot of work and she couldn’t afford the repairs. Ultimately Ann sold the house and went to live with her sister-in-law in Winthrop. “Ruth is great. She owns her own business—she’s a travel agent.” John and Andrew even moved to Winthrop to join the extended family, and still live with Ruth. “She takes wonderful care of the boys. She told me if they decided to move out she’ll be sad.”
Ann lived with the sister and sons for two years, but after a while the arrangement became a little restrictive and difficult to manage. Her health had been slowly declining. “I had bad diabetes, and I was struggling to manage it.” Eventually Ann went to live at Prospect House, an assisted living facility in Revere, MA. It was important to Ann that she stay active and independent—which led her to enroll in Neighborhood PACE. Three days a week, Ann comes to the Neighborhood PACE Center in Winthrop and enjoys exercising, using the computer, and other activities. She also goes to the Wellness Center in East Boston, for exercise and art therapy.
Before Ann moved to Prospect Hill and joined Neighborhood PACE, her diabetes would frequently send her to the hospital with dizziness and other symptoms. Neighborhood PACE helped Ann develop a plan for managing her diabetes and the chronic disease is under control now. “I’m really thankful. It’s very manageable, especially if you’re disciplined,” Ann explains.
Ann enjoys using the computer at her PACE Center. She sends a lot of e-mail. “I’d rather send e-mails to my family instead of talking the phone—I’m not really a phone person,” Ann explains. She also keeps up with her friends on Facebook.
Ann’s quality of life has greatly improved since starting the program. “Neighborhood PACE has done a lot for me.”
