Written by Michele Dinman, MPH, Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging, WashU
WashU’s Adopt-a-Grandparent (AAG) student club promotes positive connection between WashU undergraduate students and older adults living in the St. Louis community. The students make weekly visits to assisted living communities, and plan and implement group activities with the goal of facilitating one-on-one connections and building relationships with the residents. Activities include trivia tournaments, arts and crafts, service projects, performances, and games. The program also helps encourage dialogue about aging in the WashU community. Part one and part two of this series provided additional insights from AAG club members.
In this three part series, WashU undergraduates describe their involvement and experiences with Adopt-a-Grandparent. Next, Jasmine Wang, WashU sophomore, shares her experiences:
Jasmine explains how as an only child, who spent a large fraction of her childhood around people older than her, she has always enjoyed talking to older adults and became interested in the AAG program before even starting her education at WashU. “In high school, I spent time volunteering at a hospital to assist long-term and older patients with room amenities and craft activities.
My desire for more of these connections piqued my interest in Adopt-a-Grandparent before I even stepped on campus, leading me to join as a freshman. What I didn’t foresee was how much I looked forward to our visits — so much that I found myself using my class skips for another chance to exchange holiday stories or paint tote bags with residents. What continued to surprise me this year as a sophomore is the incredible growth this community has achieved as a result of AAG’s consistent visits.
Residents show up early and await our arrival in the event room, volunteers and residents take notice of absences, and we always build one big, ever-growing table where everyone has a seat to participate whether in conversation, craft activity, or trying new snacks. These gradual changes in our Sunday routine solidify my feeling that we’re forming strong, genuine connections with these residents.
One resident in particular always makes her gratitude known by taking my hand and thanking me for all we do for them. But compared to the life lessons I’ve learned from our small chats and the incredibly warm feeling the residents’ laughter and energy always leave me with, in my eyes, my attendance every Sunday can’t possibly measure up to what I’ve received. The stories and conversations I’ve picked up from my time volunteering with AAG have taught me to appreciate simplicity and authenticity — an ability older adults often possess. Since my first visit, Adopt-a-Grandparent has won a special place in my heart and I’m so happy to connect with such a unique group of kindhearted, genuine, and admirable individuals.”
For more information or to join WashU Adopt-a-Grandparent, email Abby Tang at a.f.tang@wustl.edu.