As reported recently in the Cookeville, Tennessee-based Herald-Citizen newspaper, Upperman High School teacher Lisa Brown recently gave her students an assignment to spend at least eight hours at a local retirement community, spending time with seniors.
According to the newspaper, the students were originally less than enthralled with the idea, but once they arrived at Victorian Gardens Retirement Home and Adult Day Care Center, they quickly got excited about their project.
“I thought the residents would be less interactive. It's different here because the staff really is involved with the residents and vice versa,” student body president Cody Burton told the media outlet.
Some of the activities the students took part in included sharing meals with the seniors, doing laundry, dishes, cleaning, and even filing the nails of some of the residents. The students also play bingo with the elderly residents.
There was more than just fun and games taking place, too. According to the news source, the high school students also raised money for gifts, and they also helped buy hygiene products for the senior residents.
With the population aging across North America, more assisted living communities will be appearing in the coming years.