Zoom Pals Give Older Adults a Pick-Me-Up

The Waltonwood Cotswold senior living community in Charlotte, N.C., has teamed with Wayne State University to offer a program in which college students and older adults connect as virtual pen pals via Zoom, reports the Charlotte Weekly . Associates help residents log onto the platform for their weekly or bi-weekly calls with Michigan students. Donna MacDonald with Wayne State's Institute of Gerontology said student participants are enrolled in higher-level Aging and the Life Course, and she wants to see the program incorporated into the curriculum. The program lets students learn more about seniors while allowing seniors to socialize, which can benefit their physical and mental well-being. "The Zoom calls have become a favorite activity, and it warms our hearts to see the positive interactions between the seniors and students," said Waltonwood Cotswold life enrichment manager Logan Diard. "We are always looking for unique and entertaining ways to keep residents engaged."