Day 5: Joan’s Journey

For decades, Joan’s housing was unstable. She and her husband rented apartments and basement suites, moving nine times over 30 years. Each move meant stress, costs, and uncertainty. When her husband entered a nursing home, Joan was left without formal support and relying entirely on her daughter Roxanne.

“Before Chorus, my phone ringing was a source of anxiety,” Roxanne recalls. “It often meant I had to drop everything to help Mom.”

That all changed when Joan moved into Chorus, UNITI’s first inclusive apartment building. “She went from surviving to thriving,” says Roxanne. Today, Joan lives in a safe, well-maintained home where she cooks, gardens, and decorates. She has friends, attends day programs through UNITI, and enjoys outings to movies and coffee shops. Her biggest problem now? Finding a day when she isn’t busy!

What makes Chorus unique is the balance of independence and support. Joan lives on her own—but she’s never alone. Staff check in to ensure everything is going well, and offer help with the little things that make life easier. That safety net means Joan can live with dignity while still having the freedom to make her own choices.

For Roxanne, the impact has been life-changing. “Chorus allowed me to shift from caregiver to daughter,” she says. “I was able to go back to school and complete my Master’s degree because I knew Mom was safe.”

Now, family time means coffee dates and birthday parties, not crisis management. Joan even hosted her grandson’s first birthday and her own 80th celebration with an Elvis impersonator. When Joan faced breast cancer surgery, Chorus gave her the support to recover at home, surrounded by community.

“Chorus gave Mom a forever home,” Roxanne says. “Safe, predictable housing lets her live with dignity and joy, and it gave our whole family peace of mind.”