As part of their curriculum, 7th graders from Our Lady of Guadalupe School spend some time on projects related to community engagement with various populations to expand their learning. Last week, ten students visited the Memory Hub to join individuals living with dementia for a morning of partnered conversation and community education.
This event was organized by Sarah Pfeiffer, UW MSW Practicum Student and Anastacia Kakorin, a UW BASW student, who work at the Memory Hub. The group started off the morning with education around dementia and communication tools. Then, the organizers faciliated small group conversations using a simple game and some prepared questions pulled from the Life's Tapestry game.
"Conversation flowed easily amongst the various groups and it was great to watch the students gain confidence in their facilitation skills — and even voice some of their own questions or curiosities. An unexpected bonus was that the individuals living with memory loss found meaning and interest in each other's stories, too! Overall, it was a really heartwarming event and everyone seemed to walk away with the buzz of excitement that comes along with forming a connection with someone new," said Pfeiffer.
At the end, Pfeiffer asked the participants to share something surprising that they learned and the ways in which they were similar and/or different from their conversation partners.
One boy raised his hand and said, “Everyone here was very friendly—I’m glad we could repay their kindness with our kindness.”
For the seventh graders, the event was focused on community education, intergenerational connection, and finding commonality between the two populations. For the individuals living with memory loss, the event was an opportunity for them to spend time in conversation with the younger generation and to share about themselves and their lives.
"For the rest of the day, the boys spoke effusively about what a great experience they had. Thank you for welcoming them, and for the work you do every single day with those who come to the Memory Hub!," said Patrick Barredo, director of social outreach and advocacy, St. James Cathedral, who helped create this opportunity for middle schoolers.
