Students, seniors savor visits

By Kristie Linden, Staff Writer
Wednesday, January 26, 2005

It would be easy for a newcomer to figure out when the kids are coming to Beverly Healthcare in Oakmont. If the activity room is filling up, you can bet the children from Redeemer Lutheran School are on their way.

Students at Redeemer have been visiting patients at Beverly every Wednesday for several years.

They walk from their school on 13th Street to the facility near the bottom of Anne Street to spend time, play games and talk to patients.

The children give up their recess time to visit the seniors and give them something to look forward to each week.

"These are wonderful teachers and students," says Karen Stone, activity director at Beverly. "Rain, sleet, snow, it doesn't matter, they're here every Wednesday."

There usually is a pretty good crowd to see the children and Stone says she sees a lot of interaction between the two age groups.

"The seniors light up, they get all dressed up when the children come to visit them," she says. "They are fascinated by their age."

Beverly Healthcare resident Marion Stewart says she likes to spend time with the students because they are kind to her.

"I'm getting to know them and recognize their faces," says Stewart. "It's nice to be remembered. They're good kids, I love them all. I look forward to them coming every week."

Redeemer sends a contingent of students each week with representatives from all of the grades.

Each trip sends a different group of children.

"We get to make an older person happy," says Margo Laboon, sixth-grader. "They probably don't have visitors that often."

Sixth grader Jonah Rickos says he likes meeting new people, doing the crafts and playing games.

Stewart likes playing Candyland with Jonah because he helps her win "because he's so smart."

Resident Juanita Williams says she enjoys the visits because it helps her keep youth in her life.

"I have a couple of grandkids this size but I don't get to see them, so I enjoy seeing these children. You are grateful for what you have, not what you wish you could have. Children give can youth.

"They make you think of things you had forgotten."

Resident Audrey James says children are so much different now than when she was young.

"I played a game with them, they were cheating a little bit, but it was fun," says James with a laugh.

©Oakmont Advance Leader Star 2002