PEABODY — When the dining room at the Harriett & Ralph Kaplan Estates is suddenly serenaded with song, chances are, the source of the tune is 104 year old Kay Morrocco and her five friends, Jennie Ruggiero, age 100, Lucille Dibello, age 88, Lorraine Plante, age 90, Pam Fiske, age 75, and Rose Pacillo, age 93.
It usually starts with Morrocco humming a melody during one of the ladies’ daily lunches or dinners. Soon, the whole table harmonizing
“That’s really one of the best parts. This table, you almost always find them breaking into song, usually led by Kay ” Community Relations Concierge at Kaplan Estates Krista Burke said.
Burke’s task is to integrate new residents into their new assisted living home by matching them with other residents who share similar interests.
When she saw six names had put down the Peabody Senior Center as an interest, Burke thought it was a common thread that could be used to create a new group of friends.
“We sat Lucille, Lorraine, and Rose together with Jennie, who had been here with her friend Kay, and it just seemed like a good match,” she said. “And then when Pam came along, she filled out the end of the table, and now they’re a table of six.”
Burke’s work certainly paid off, as the ladies have gathered each day at mealtime since being grouped together to chat about the “old times,” share details about their families, plan out which activities they’re going to enjoy, and, of course, sing.
“We like to talk, and we all have something to say, and we all will listen when it’s your turn,” Pacillo said. “When you’re trying to say whatever your conversation is about, and we’ll all listen.”
“I am interested because I love to hear all about how they grew up, and everything from when they were young, to having kids and grandkids, and I enjoy that,” Fiske said.
Whenever a family member stops by to visit one of the ladies, they will oftentimes be joined by one of their friends, who now know all about each other’s relatives.
For instance, this weekend, Lorraine will be seeing her newly born great-granddaughter, making her a great-grandmother for the first time, an accomplishment celebrated by the whole group.
Pacillo especially enjoys these visits, as her family is spread everywhere from Maine to Arizona, so being able to share these moments with her friends is certainly a plus.
“Everybody knows everybody’s family,” Plante said. “It makes it so much more pleasant to be sitting there because you’re not interrupting and everybody knows each other.”
Of course, busy schedules mean relatives aren’t always going to be there. That’s why having a close bond with the women living under the same roof is so important.
“We’re all concerned about each other. If one doesn’t show up, we ask about each other,” Rugiello said.
As a two-year resident at Kaplan Estates, Rugiello, along with Morrocco, who’s been there for over six years, were integral for the newcomers to start feeling comfortable in their new home.
“I thank God that Jennie was there because she helped me so much when I came in,” Pacillo said. “Jennie’s really our rock.”
Indeed, Rugiello and Morrocco are two of the liveliest centenarians that anyone will meet. In fact, Morrocco still loves to wear her heels and go ballroom dancing at the Peabody Senior Center every Thursday.
“She says we don’t know how to get dressed because we don’t wear high heels,” Plante said. “She still does. She’s 104, and she goes dancing with her son in the right clothes and high heels… she makes our day, I tell you.”
Other activities the residents take part in include taking walks in the property gardens to stay moving, bingo, scenic trips, and watching movies, a particular favorite for some of the ladies.
Of course, there’s also the great staff at Kaplan Estates, whom the women have nothing but heaps of praise for, even if the food isn’t up to par every day.
However, if residents don’t like the options of one meal, they can switch to something else off another menu. And then there’s the desert, which the ladies can attest to their deliciousness.
A testament to both the quality of Kaplan’s sweets and the connection between these women, Ruggiero will give Pacillo her dessert so she can bring it back to her unit to eat later.
“My favorite part of the job is meeting the people, learning their stories, and connecting them and watching them form amazing friendships like these,” Burke said. “I’m very lucky to work with them.”
