You wouldn’t think that Lauren Paterson, ’24, a student in Kent State University's Nursing Home Administration Graduate Certificate program, would have much in common with her new friend Marcus, a 74-year-old with three children, seven grandchildren and a wife of 50 years. Think again.
It was their shared love of woodworking that matched Paterson with her elder acquaintance who resides at Maplewood Senior Living in Cuyahoga Falls. Paterson’s father was a woodworker who crafted a bear and a squirrel out of tree stumps. Similarly, Marcus wants to help his neighbors make wooden name tags using Scrabble-like letters.
Their unlikely friendship was created through The Legacy Project that matches college students with local elders through a shared interest to foster strong, intergenerational relationships that document the life stories of older adults, preserving their legacies for generations to come.
A native of Chardon, Ohio, Paterson was completing her final project for the Long-Term Care Administration program in the School of Lifespan, Development and Educational Sciences in the College of Education, Health and Human Services.
Last spring, Paterson and three other students from the Long-Term Care Administration program were matched with residents at Maplewood based on shared interests. They met weekly to tell stories, ask questions and build connections.
“I chose [The Legacy Project] as my final project because I wanted to gain more in-person experience with residents in senior living communities,” said Paterson, “I was eager to hear and document all the extraordinary stories.”
Marcus got his Ph.D. at Capella University and worked as a business professor at Indiana Wesleyan University in Independence, Ohio. He’s traveled the world, including all 50 states, England, India, Australia and Europe. At Maplewood, he distributes the mail and holds Bible study sessions.
“After two months of weekly interviews, I witnessed the improvement of Marcus’s memory and his stories became clearer and more concise,” said Paterson, who recently earned a bachelor of science degree in integrated health studies with a concentration in health services. “He called me his friend, which touched me profoundly. He’s compassionate, kind-hearted and chivalrous. He opened every door for me and offered freshly baked cookies.”
Long-Term Care Administration students and older adults collaborated to create a book about the elders’ lives while simultaneously building connections and friendships. Students are now in the process of compiling the stories into a book to be published on Amazon as a resource for the residents’ families who may lack knowledge or recollection of their family members’ past experiences.
The benefits of the project are two-fold: Students can combat the social isolation that residents often feel when in long-term care facilities. Residents can reflect on their life experiences and connect with someone outside their generation.
“Long-term care isn’t just about students spending time with older adults,” said Donna Alexander, associate lecturer and Long-Term Care Administration program coordinator. “It’s about making meaningful connections, providing a valuable and rewarding service and enjoying a well-paid career.”
Indeed, Paterson wants to be a nursing home administrator for a senior living facility, a position that can pay well over six figures. In Fall 2024, Lauren will begin her two-semester, 1,000-hour internship as an administrator-in-training through Kent State's Nursing Home Administration graduate certificate program, after which she'll apply for Nursing Home Administration licensure.
“The Legacy Project is far more than a school project,” said Paterson. “It’s a meaningful and impactful experience that I intend to introduce to any community I’m part of.”