Alzheimer’s Buddies

Our Mission:

NAB functions by pairing college students with residents in local Alzheimer’s/dementia care facilities for weekly one-on-one visits. These students work with both family members and staff to determine the best way to utilize their visits in order to learn more about the interests and lives of the residents, thereby forming connections that help combat the isolation often felt by residents in such facilities. Additionally, NAB chapters in the past have helped educate campus communities about AD, launched music therapy initiatives, and performed clinical research studies. This year, Yale Alzheimer's buddies is partnering with campus a capella groups to have them perform at our homes. For more information about NAB, please see www.alzbuddies.org.

Our Activities:

Pilot Program for NAB's Looking Glass Project
Direct Service
Initiated and run by Jocelyn Ra, Looking Glass Project connects student volunteers to resident families to interview and write patients' lived histories. This is then shared with the families and patients (who are losing memory), as well as the nursing homes.

Gift Baskets
Direct Service
We buy gifts like art supplies or DVDs for nursing homes with DH funding.

Invite music groups on campus
Direct Service
We like to open community service opportunities to people outside of YAB. Music groups at Yale such as A Cappella groups or choirs are invited to sing for residents once a semester.

Volunteering weekly at nursing homes
Direct Service
Yale Alzheimer's Volunteers will visit nursing homes (West Haven Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation, Hearth at Gardenside) and interact with residents on a weekly basis. Activities include playing board games, listening and talking, playing music, and making art. The goal of this activity is to empower students and buddies to break through the boundaries imposed by Alzheimer’s Disease and discover a new identity together.

Weekly volunteering at nursing homes
Direct Service
Volunteers at YAB visit nursing homes on a weekly basis for one-on-one conversations with residents or fun group activities with multiple residents. We aim to bring joy and energy to seniors in our community.

Semester Fundraiser
Fundraising
We are planning on holding a fundraiser where we will raise money with local restaurants to give to the nursing homes. Especially because one of the nursing homes we are working with is newer, we want to ensure they have the financial support they need in order to give residents the best care.

Student Leaders:

Sarah Feng - Co-Coordinator/Co-President