Learning Outcome #2: Taking on New Challenges

CAS

Adopt-A-Grandparent

What: The Adopt-A-Grandparent program is a school organized group who takes students to the Country Villa to interact and keep the senior patients company during their recreation time. Around 20 students go every other Friday and spend time with the residents.

Why: The program exists to provide caring relationships and interactions with the senior citizens who most of the time have minimal contact with their loved ones. I decided to do the program because I had always had a great relationship with my grandparents and i learned to value the wisdom and history they had to pass down, which is something that many of the senior citizens at Country Villa were not able to do.

How: Each student can drive to the retirement center in their own car or along with the coordinator, Mr Arenas. The students then remain the the recreation room and talk to the residents along with playing board games and bingo. My favorite game to play was Connect Four with one of the residents named Roger. He was in the military and loved to tell me about when he got his Marine tattoo. These relationships we build not only make the residents feel good but us as well.

Value: The program is valuable to me because speaking with someone is not always easy for me, especially with people i don't know. But after gaining the relationships i did, the program was without a doubt worth facing the challenge of meeting someone new.

What I Learned: I learned that having a relationship with someone, no matter how small is important to every single individual. This is why the program i participated in was a great experience in learning to be open with a senior.

Duration: 2 Hours
Location:
Country Villa Healthcare Center
850 S. Sunkist Avenue
West Covina, CA 91790
(626) 962-3368