A Valentine’s Day Match Leads to Full Life for Maggie
Love stories come in many different forms. Watching Maggie Viera and Dawn Cochrane, it’s clear they have a deep love for each other. It’s not romance, but it is a love that selflessly gives, receives, trusts, respects and is filled with laughter. It’s a great story about how love can change lives. They call themselves a “Valentine’s Day match,” because that’s the day in 2024 Maggie was able to move into Dawn’s home and receive the support she needs in her daily life.
Dawn knew Maggie for many years—she was the manager of the group home where Maggie lived. Health problems had landed Maggie in the hospital a number of times, including once when she needed to spend time in a nursing home before she could return to the group home.
Early last year, Maggie ended up in the hospital once again, and again, the group home would not take her back. Her only option was a nursing home.
Maggie refused. The last time she had been in a nursing home, she received improper care that nearly caused her death. But now, she had nowhere to go. So she turned to Living Innovations, a subsidiary of Mosaic in Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Maine.
Through shared living services, the primary service Living Innovation offers, a provider opens their home to the person supported and helps them become an active member of the household and their community.
“Maggie came to us and wanted Dawn to be her Home Provider,” said Lauren Flynn, Living Innovations Coordinator.
“We fast-tracked her, and of course, the Valentine’s Day move is the cherry on the cake.”
Dawn stepped in and agreed to have Maggie live with her—temporarily. But that’s not the way the story goes.
“It went from a temporary thing to a permanent thing, and it was just as well for us at that point. We were happy to be able to do it together,” Dawn said.
The daily lives of both have changed dramatically in the past year. Maggie now has experienced many new things that were not possible for her in the past. She’s traveled with Dawn and her family to New York, to a Yankees’ game and Broadway shows, to the White Mountains in New Hampshire and routine trips shopping (which Maggie loves) and sightseeing. She also had her first-ever flight to Florida for a cruise and visited Puerto Rico to learn about her cultural heritage.
To accommodate Maggie’s needs, Dawn bought a portable lift and put a ceiling track lift system in her home to ensure Maggie’s transfers in and out of her wheelchair were safe. She put a permanent ramp on the front of her home and purchased other needed equipment such as a specialized shower chair for Maggie.
“Maggie has thrived since living with Dawn, they have kind of completed each other,” said Jennifer Buzzerio, Living Innovations Program Manager. “They both are taking part in things they didn’t get to do before. I have no idea what the future will bring, but Maggie is blooming and embracing the world.”
For Dawn, it is more simple than that.
“There’s a lot of us here, and she’s part of the family,” Dawn said. “There’s no question, she’s one of us.”
Learn more about Maggie’s story in the video below.