By 1981, Papusza was living in Inowrocław under the care of her sister Janina, reflecting her declining health and isolation in later life.
By 1981, Papusza was residing in Inowrocław, where she lived under the care of her sister Janina. This period of her life reflects the culmination of decades of declining health, psychological struggle, and social isolation that had followed the controversy surrounding her literary debut in the 1950s, when accusations of betraying Roma customs led to her effective ostracism from much of the Roma community.
Having spent time in psychiatric institutions in earlier decades and having lived much of her later life in poverty and obscurity despite her earlier literary acclaim, Papusza's move to live under family care in Inowrocław marked a period of relative stability and support in her final years. Her sister's care provided a measure of comfort and dignity during a time when Papusza's health continued to decline.
This biographical milestone, though not a public achievement, is historically significant as it situates the final chapter of her life geographically and socially, explaining why Inowrocław became the site of her death in 1987 and later the location of memorial efforts, including a museum room and commemorative initiatives dedicated to preserving her legacy as the pioneering Romani poet of Poland. The exact day and month of her relocation are not documented in available sources.