For almost three years, Sheri Currin languished in a nursing facility in Marlborough, Massachusetts – away from family and friends. While living there, she spent most of her time in bed, heavily medicated, and isolated. Through CPR’s “Bringing People Home” initiative, Sheri finally had the chance to reclaim her life. With support from the MassHealth Moving Forward Plan Residential Supports (MFP-RS) HCBS waiver program, she transitioned from the nursing facility into a real home in Southborough.
The change has been transformative. In the community, Sheri is prescribed far less medication, is physically stronger, and no longer needs a Hoyer lift for transfers. She has her own private bedroom –decorated with her chosen furnishings, family photos, and the belongings that make the space truly hers. With assistance, Sheri moves through the home’s spacious common areas in her wheelchair, spending time with her four housemates and relaxing on the outdoor patio.
Sheri is once again participating in the daily rhythms of community life. She helps with cleaning and laundry, and her greatest joy is being able to cook for herself in the kitchen – something she missed during her years in the nursing facility. She shops in the community, goes to the library, and visits her boyfriend. At the rehabilitation center she attends three times a week, she especially looks forward to spa days, where she can get manicures, pedicures, and massages.
Most importantly, Sheri has her voice back. She describes her years in the nursing facility as feeling like she was in a coma – hearing the world around her but feeling invisible within it. Today, that has changed. “Nobody listened to me,” Sheri says. “Now I have a voice and am heard.”
Richard Caouette, a U.S. Army veteran, also was able to finally return to the community because of this initiative. After a stroke in 2020, Richard spent five long years in a nursing facility in Worcester, Massachusetts. He shared a small room with little natural light and endured long stretches of unstructured time with nowhere to go and nothing meaningful to do. Most days were reduced to walking the hallways, watching television, or sleeping – always under facility rules that left him feeling stripped of autonomy. As Richard says, “For me, living in a nursing home is like living under martial law.”
That changed in July 2025. Approved for the MFP-RS waiver program, Richard moved into his new home in Northborough. Today, Richard is rebuilding a life that feels more like his own. He enjoys the privacy of his own bedroom and the dignity of contributing to household tasks. And for the first time in years, he gets to plan what his meals will be – a right he loves and one others take for granted. Perhaps most meaningfully, Richard has found community. “We have fun,” he says of his housemates, with whom he plays games and watches sports. He also likes going out to shop for new clothes and items to personalize his bedroom. No longer needing to shout or pull a cord for help, Richard says of his new home, “It’s way better. I’m glad I’m here.”