WASHINGTON — If you’ve never stepped foot inside the Forest Hills of DC Assisted Living and Skilled Care communities, you would never know the stories of those living inside. People like Annie Abbott.
At 95, Abbott is a wealth of wisdom that spans back to her days playing basketball at Bluefield State University. But like many of her neighbors at Forrest Hills, she doesn’t get out of the community much anymore due to her age.
Partly inspired by the stories of those like Abbott, Forrest Hills unveiled an art exhibit called “See Me Hear Me.” The display, which is made up of large-scale biodegradable photographs, was made possible due to funding from AARP.
“It’s really rewarding to not be invisible to our community,” Tina Sandri, CEO of Forrest Hills, said. “To matter to our community, it’s what everybody wants.”
D.C.-based photographer Marvin Bowser took the dozens of pictures of residents and staff at Forrest Hills that make up the exhibit.
“They're not necessarily in their last chapter," Bowser said of the residents in the photographs. “It might be a later chapter, but there are still pages to be turned.”
Abbott was photographed with Forrest Hills marketing director Vicky Parker, who has developed a close relationship with the 95-year-old woman she calls "auntie."
“She’s family to me,” Parker said. “She’s very dear to me.”
The “See Me Hear Me” exhibit is also accompanied by a QR code that visitors can scan to learn more about the people who are pictured.
This story is part of WUSA9’s ongoing series “The Heart of It”, which highlights inspiring and emotional stories from the DMV and beyond. If you have a story suggestion for Sean Martinelli, you can email TheHeartOfIt@wusa9.com