NAU Students help their elders

Searching for a relevant project that completes graduation requirements, Northern Arizona University-Yuma social work students recognized a treasure hidden in plain sight: the elderly.

NAU-Yuma students working in tandem with Greater Foothills Helping Hands, the nonprofit that  provides home care assistance for the elderly, have initiated a program  that enables seniors to live more fulfilled lives.

Students were assigned to design a program for a particular segment of neglected city residents and put that plan into action so a social work agency could assist the group, said Nancy Sanabria, 23 an NAU-Yuma senior.

"Sometimes the elderly are overlooked so they need to have someone organize activities for them and keep them engaged."

Sanabria went on to say that she has volunteered at nursing homes and the elderly can become very depressed, especially during holidays. Although nursing homes  have activities, it frequently is not adequate and the community needs to reach out. So Sanabria and her classmates conceived the idea of the "Community Change Project."

But not content to merely map out a program on paper, students decided to actually implement their ideas. On Saturday at NAU-Yuma's Academic Complex, students met with 20 seniors from the Yuma Nursing Home.

During an orientation, students explained what they hope to accomplish with the Community Change Project. The most simple and direct way students change the lives of seniors is by inviting them to get together and free them from the isolation of their homes.

The longer lasting change students aim for is to provide seniors with opportunities, resources, and coaching so the seniors can in turn change the community by becoming more active participants.

Students also do various fund raising projects to earn the resources to schedule activities as well as obtain pledges of support from local businesses. A couple of their major benefactors include Bubbas BBQ and Michaels Arts & Crafts.

At Saturday's event, seniors and students first got acquainted, shared a light snack, and enjoyed a belly dance performance by The Arizona Western College Dancers. For the remainder of their orientation session together, seniors and students played board and card games.

A host of other activities are planned for the coming weeks, Sanabria said. A few days before Christmas students will visit the  seniors at the Yuma Nursing Home and deliver 100 gift baskets.

At the beginning of January students collect food for the Yuma Community Food Bank. While later that month, a garden project at the Helping Hands Office will have students and seniors cooperating to plant their own garden.

To wrap up the project, students will teach seniors to make their own scrapbooks chronicling the time they spent together during February.

"The elderly have a lot of experience and been through a lot of things. So they have a lot of knowledge and stories they can share so younger generations can benefit from their experiences," Sanabria said.

Bill Pederson, NAU-Yuma social work professor said the project provides an incredible learning opportunity for students they can take with them after they graduate .

Once students receive their bachelor degree in Social Work they will be able to do counseling and referrals for individuals, groups, families, and communities, Pederson said.

"My students are often hired by agencies like CPS, Crossroads, Campesinos, or Providence, even before they graduate, they are in such demand."

William Roller can be reached at wroller@yumasun.com or 539-6858.