Intergenerational Programs Add Brightness to Seniors at Moldaw

Thanks to a three-year grant from the Association of Jewish Aging Services, Palo Alto-based senior living community Moldaw Residences has introduced two unique wellness programs targeted to assisted living residents and those with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia.

The first is an intergenerational program called Opening Minds Through Art (OMA). Each week, students in grades 9 and 10 at Meira Academy and nurse volunteers from nearby Stanford University Hospital work with residents on a process-oriented art project. There are no grades or tests; it’s simply an opportunity for participants to engage, build connections and create artwork together.

“We often see ongoing relationships where volunteers meet with residents week after week,” said Gena Brigham, Moldaw’s lifestyles director, adding the program helps to humanize and demystify aging. “Art is the vehicle for making connections. The OMA program facilitates autonomy for the resident and relationship with the volunteer.”

The second, called MUSIC & MEMORY®, has family members create a personalized playlist that Moldaw team members put onto an MP3 player. Playlists are unique to each resident, with songs or artists that hold sentimental value or are tied to specific events or loved ones.

“Music is one of those things that connects us to memory – like smell,” added Alexander Ben-Israel, Moldaw’s executive director. “For most of us, we have a visceral relationship with music; It’s a hugely important tool for us to engage with these residents.”