Heres What Happens When Students Move

Into a Nursing Home

College students and nursing home residents share more than just space at
this Dutch long-term care facility they share a special bond.
Nov 19, 2015
Tags:
Humanitas, Nursing Home, College Students

College students teach computer skills, assist, and provide companionship for their elderly
neighbors (citylab)
Feed two birds with one scone. Thats what the long-term care center for seniors, Humanitas,
had in mind when they decided to offer the extra housing in their facility to college students.
Rent in the Netherlands is high, and theres a significant shortage in student housing. Meanwhile,
government funding for nursing homes has dropped and many facilities are trying to find new
ways to attract residents.
In exchange for staying in the vacant rooms free of charge, the students agreed to volunteer for
30 hours a month, teaching the residents skills like email and social media, spending time with
them, and watching re-runs of Dirty Dancing together.
Yet, its clear that - beyond the obligatory volunteering hours - the six college students and the
elderly residents that both live at Humanitas have developed an undeniable connection. They
watch sports together, celebrate each other's birthdays, share stories with one another about their

day one student even makes a daily stop at the fish market to pick up his neighbors favorite
fillets.

Students bring a much-needed warmth and energy to Humanitas, which is appealing to potential
residents
Jurrin Mentink is one of Humanitas college students. In an interview with The Atlantic,
Mentink recalls a night when one of the residents he taught computer skills to was extremely
agitated and nothing the staff did seemed to help. He says, when she saw me, it was like 180
degrees around. She was instantly relaxed and happy to see me. They spent the rest of the night
watching TV together.
Inter-generational relationships are important for a number of reasons. Loneliness is
scientifically linked to mental decline, whereas regular social interaction has been found to
improve health in older adults, and younger generations stand to gain new perspectives and
wisdom. As Matthew Kaplan, a professor of intergenerational programs and aging at
Pennsylvania State University, told The Atlantic, true connections are the ones that really pay
off. In his words: its not until [the older and younger people] have a real relationship...that it
becomes meaningful.