EDH Senior Center Crafts & Games Outreach

Once a month, a group of Hands4Hope youth and adult volunteers visit El Dorado Hills Senior Center to lead the residents in crafts and games. Anne Rhea, a regular adult lead for the outreach, described the event, “When we arrive at 3 p.m., it’s snack time, so the kids help the Senior Center staff serve the snack, then spend some time chatting with the seniors. After that, it’s time for some fun and games. Typically, one of the H4H kids is tasked with coming up with an activity that we can do with the seniors. Past visits have included finger painting, playing board games, and batting a large ball about with some foam noodles (this one seems like a very popular game).”

The Senior Center Outreach at EDH Senior Center occurs on the second Monday of each month from 3:00 to 4:00pm, and usually has about four to six youth and two adult volunteers. The youth are generally middle to high school aged.

Not only do Hands4Hope youth get the chance to lead activities and assist the activity staff, but, according to Rhea, something else happens when the volunteers interact with residents; cross-generational communication occurs, and youth and senior citizens come together through shared interests and hobbies. “Unlike some of the other outreaches that are geared towards providing basic human necessities like food and clothing, this more intimate outreach is about the kids spending face-to-face time with senior members of the El Dorado Hills community—talking with them and playing games [. . .] All the seniors we visit have various levels of dementia but, regardless, the kids figure out how to connect with them on a personal level. I think everyone involved gets something out of these visits,” Rhea explained. The outreach encourages sharing experiences that offer teachable moments to both the youth and senior center residents.

“I am awed by the compassion and caring the kids bring to this outreach,” Rhea explained in describing her impressions of Hands4Hope volunteers who regularly assist with the event. “One time a few months back, one of our volunteers was a shy-looking little girl. As we gathered before going into the activity room, I wondered if maybe she was too young for this kind of outreach where knowing how to interact with seniors with cognitive issues can be challenging. But she absolutely blew my mind when I saw her running one of the board games with four of the seniors. She was kind, patient, and joyful. You can’t ask for more from a volunteer.”

The Senior Center Crafts & Games Outreach is a regularly occurring event available every month to both youth and adult volunteers. If you are interested in learning more or getting involved with this outreach, please contact Yoko Kono at yoko@hands4hopeyouth.org.