Intergenerational Connections Program benefits older adults, college students

This story first appeared in the December 2024 issue of Prestige, a special section dedicated to telling the stories of Iowans over the age of 55.

Nancy Lanning doesn’t get out much on her own since she is partially blind.

Thanks to a local program that matches older adults with college students, Lanning is not only getting out on the town but has also formed a meaningful friendship.

That friendship is with Coe College junior Julie Kelnar. The two were paired together about three years ago through the Intergenerational Connections Program. This partnership between Coe College and UnityPoint Health’s Aging Services connects adults over the age of 55 with college students looking to learn and build friendships. Since its start in 2017, there have been some 50 matches made.

Lanning said she and Kelnar go grocery shopping together — hitting up Aldi, Hyvee, Fareway and more to make sure they get all the deals — go out to eat and love to spend time making jewelry as a relaxing activity. Lanning said Kelnar also helps her with her computer when she needs it, especially with her visual impairments.

“We just enjoy each other’s company, and we have a lot in common,” Lanning said. “I didn’t expect us to click as much as we did. But it’s good to have the company and to be able to get out.”

Lanning makes Kelnar homecooked meals.

“When you are away from home and you eat out all the time, it gets old after a while. So, I make sure I make plenty that she can take back to her dorm with her,” Lanning said. “It helps to have someone you can talk to and share your troubles. And Julie’s a very good listener.”

Kelnar, who is studying biology and neuroscience on a pre-med path with a minor in health and society studies, said the program has been a special experience for her as well.

“I just think it's an amazing opportunity,” she said. “Older adults sometimes get looked over in society, and so bringing attention to them and connecting younger generations with older adults is just amazing.”

The program has surprised her, too.

“I think the most exciting part is just going through all the emotions with your partner because with life comes the ups and downs, so you can be there for your partner and then they are there for you as well,” she said. “During those ups and downs you really build that relationship, and you get to see them grow as a person, and they see the same in you. This is a friendship that is not just surface level.”

Coe College Assistant Professor of Psychology Ellen Lee has led the program for the school for the past two years.

“The original mission was to bring greater awareness to the issues that older adults in the community were facing, but also try to combat loneliness. Often we think older adults are lonely, but actually teenagers are quite lonely too,” she said.

Lee meets weekly with the group of students participating to talk about challenges, read relevant articles, talk about things to do in and around Cedar Rapids, and discuss ways to build trust with older adults. The many skill sets built through the program creates a wide appeal for students to participate, she said.

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Recently, more and more students are interested in participating in the program, so they are currently looking to find more older adults in the community who want to participate. Savanna Snead, community services supervisor with UnityPoint Health, oversees the program for Aging Services and hopes that more local seniors are interested in signing up for the program and reach out to their office to learn more.

“Older adults tend to feel a little bit sidelined by society,” she said. “They don't feel like they're quite as part of the community as they used to be. So, the program goal is really to make sure that they're part of the community, that there's mentorship involved, that they get to be appreciated and to really act as mentors and as wisdom keepers for the students.”

In her role, Snead works closely with Lee to ensure the partnerships are well suited and have practical logistics for everyone involved.

“Everyone fills out a mini questionnaire about what they are interested in, what’s important to them in building a relationship with someone and what they hope to get out of it,” Snead said.

The program is not prescriptive in terms of how the partners interact, explained Lee, but encourages them to spend about four to five hours a week together.

“It is designed for each partnership to evolve and discover who they are and what they like. Some people are more extroverted than others, so sometimes it happens faster for some partnerships,” she said.

Each partnership, in time, finds its stride.

“Seeing the connections that students are making with community members is incredibly heartwarming,” Lee said. “Seeing students apply what they know and challenge themselves to step outside of their comfort zones, that’s just what you want as an educator.”

The connection Lanning and Kelnar have found has been truly special. Lanning thinks other older adults should give the program a try.

“I’d tell others to just sign up. It’s a good experience. These college students are full of energy. You would think with the age gap you wouldn’t be compatible, but it is,” she said. “I’m glad I did this, because Julie helps me so much. It's a wonderful club and it helped me fill a big empty gap. And it’s just a lot of fun.”