“Whenever we are together, we are home”
That’s how Jamie describes his relationship to Harry. For 14 years, they have been inseparable. Even when Jamie came to Maitri to recover his health and regain his independence, Harry would visit every chance he got. And when Jamie transitioned to permanent housing, Jamie declared his graduation ceremony wouldn’t be a party for him, but for Harry.
Jamie and Harry at their graduation party.
“Harry kept me sane [while I was homeless],” Jamie said. “He kept me from being completely irresponsible and I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to ingratiate myself to him for that.”
So when Harry got sick this winter, Jamie didn’t know what to do. But Jamie had help. He had Maitri’s BRANCH Aftercare Program for support. BRANCH Aftercare was developed to be a bridge to self-sufficiency for patients like Jamie. While he moves to independence, he can continue to receive therapy, case management, and communal support.
“It’s nice to come back to the Aftercare Program and not be on my own all of a sudden,” Jamie described.
After Jamie told his BRANCH Care Team what was happening with Harry, they sprang into action. We reached out to our friends at The Castro Animal Hospital for help and they quickly gave Harry the help he needed to get the spring back in his step. And now, Jamie and Harry are back together and safely back in their apartment.
That’s why Maitri’s BRANCH Aftercare is so important. We know that our former residents have ongoing needs. We all need a little help sometimes; a BRANCH to hold onto to help us maintain our health and independence.