LeeLee

When she was 16 years old, LeeLee taught herself to play guitar. At first, she followed along with a public television show called “Folk Guitar” but soon started working out songs on her own.

More than 60 years later, LeeLee is still stirred by a creative spirit. Whether it’s through painting, creative writing, or music, this spirit is nurtured at H.O.M.E.’s Pat Crowley House.

A Chicago native, LeeLee spent most of her post-retirement years in a second-floor apartment at Foster and Lincoln. The 29 steps up to her apartment were always a challenge, but gradually they became impossible to navigate.

Between the lack of railings and her own physical challenges, LeeLee eventually “lost confidence to go up and down the stairs.”

For ten months, she did not leave the apartment. Her only companions were her television and her pastor, who made sure to visit with groceries.

LeeLee learned about H.O.M.E. from a fellow church member who lived at Pat Crowley House. After receiving a visit from H.O.M.E. staff members, she decided to make the move.

With assistance from H.O.M.E.’s Moving Program, she relocated to Pat Crowley House late last year. She appreciates her housemates, the shared home-cooked meals, accessible bathrooms, and an elevator that can take her to all three floors and the backyard.

Recently, a few Pat Crowley House residents spent the night listening to music by Santana, which turned into a dance party because, according to LeeLee, “you can’t listen to Santana without moving.”

Looking toward the end of the year, LeeLee would like to learn how to play “Corazón Espinado” on the guitar and is considering performing Christmas songs for her housemates around the holidays.

In the meantime, she remains committed to being active. Every Monday, she joins a few housemates and Pat Crowley House Manager Chris Taraszka for chair yoga and other exercises. Feeling “more independent and confident,” she is walking more often and requiring a cane less. In August, she started using the staircase instead of the elevator to access the backyard. In conversation, she emphasizes that she is “thriving.”

“There is a whole big house to enjoy,” says LeeLee about Pat Crowley House. Thanks to the support of her H.O.M.E. community and her own determination, she is able to get outside again and enjoy a whole big city, too.