4 benefits of a senior pen pal program
The benefits of the adult pen pal program can be just as powerful for the children as they are for the seniors who participate. While the kids don’t necessarily know or understand the struggles people have, the positive effect this connection has for both child and adult can be priceless. Here are four ways a pen pal program can make a difference:1. Combats senior loneliness and feelings of isolation
“Providing community service where we live and work” is written in The BAYADA Way, our company philosophy and guidepost. This key action is especially close to Lindsay’s heart because as a Girl Scout during her own childhood years, she learned the importance and necessity of giving back and making a positive impact on the community. When her daughter, Charlie, entered kindergarten, Lindsay decided to pass on that spirit of service by founding a Girl Scout Troop to better connect to their community. This way, they could give back together while influencing others to contribute, just like Lindsay did when she was a Girl Scout.
Because it was hard to reach and interact with her office’s senior clients in person, Lindsay decided to team up with the Girl Scout troop co-leader and formulate a pen pal program that would benefit both kids and senior adults. She knew that a senior pen pal program could help to ease the loneliness and isolation older clients may feel throughout the year and especially during this difficult time.
2. Helps with cognitive and memory function as well as overall mental health
There are many cognitive benefits to writing down your thoughts by hand: it increases brain activity as you choose words and organize thoughts; it activates the parts of the brain responsible for thinking and language; and it boosts working memory by recalling memories. And since many seniors feel stressed or depressed due to loneliness and isolation, the act of writing down their feelings can alleviate some of those symptoms. In fact, one study on the mental health benefits of journaling found that those who journaled for 15 minutes a day/3 days a week felt less depressed after only a month of consistent journaling.3. Creates opportunities to connect with people they otherwise would not have met
So, what began as a way for the Girl Scout troop to connect with willing BAYADA clients in the community, has grown exponentially and become way more impactful than Lindsay could have ever imagined. One individual touched by this pen pal program for seniors is 61-year-old BAYADA client Marvin B. As a career paramedic and first responder post 9/11, he now lives with severe upper respiratory issues, which has rendered him homebound and requiring 24/7 care. He said he is so touched by this service, "This thing with the Girl Scouts—a I'm absolutely thrilled. When I was a little young man, I was a Cub Scout myself. Volunteering is very important and we should all give back if we can."
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