Memory Bridge Initiative Links Students With Carmelite Dementia Patients

For the next three months, several students from John Hancock High School in Chicago will be making the trek to Darien’s to engage with the facility’s dementia patients.

The students are participating in the Memory Bridge service-learning program, which since 2005 has connected 3,000 middle and high school students with people with dementia.

Teacher Donald Davis brought the program to the Hancock High School when he came on staff three years ago.

“I thought it was very worthwhile for the students,” he said. “I think there’s a certain personal gratification with making a difference. Communication skills improve, especially between the different generations. That makes a big difference.”

The initiative also helps students who are normally reserved open up, Davis said.

“With the program, the students share a lot about themselves in the classroom before they go into the facility,” he said. “Students who won’t share or are closed off tend to open up a lot more.”

Carmelite Carefree Village is a senior living community offering independent, assisted living and memory care support.

Hancock student Franny Izaguirre enjoys her visits to the facility.

“I like that we get to have good conversations with our buddies and how they talk to us about how society was different in their time,” she said.

She has learned that when the patients were her age, many already had full-time jobs.

“And hardworking jobs,” the sophomore said. “Some of us teenagers work but not a lot us.”

She enjoys watching the patients light up when she and her fellow students come to visit.

“At first they were wondering why we were there but once we explained they really opened up and they’re fun to talk to,” she said.

Fellow Hancock student Crystal Guerra was nervous about participating, but has since become more comfortable with the patients.

“I enjoy talking to them and getting to know them,” she said. “We talk about how they were as a child and the things they had to go through and their families.”

She notices a difference in the Carmelite patients’ behavior when the students arrive.

“They seem more happy and full of energy,” she said.

Sandra Kariotis, executive director/CEO of Carmelite Carefree Village, is excited about the program.

“Each participant’s life is enriched from the experiences, memories, dreams and feelings that make up a resident’s life story,” she said. “More importantly, this program allows us to connect with people who have a life robbing disease. We hope to advance Memory Bridge’s Advocacy to raise awareness of personal identity and memory that dementias and Alzheimer’s disease does not extinguish.”