The Importance of Regularly Showing Up

Sunday, April 13th 2025

By: Charlotte Hendrey

Today I did another Easter Cookie Decorating Party at Greenwood Assisted Living. Five volunteers from Marin Catholic High School and Redwood High School came to volunteer, as well as our Social Media Manager who goes to Archie Williams High School.

I invited Michael, who is a guitarist, to come play his guitar at the cookie decorating party so that the residents could sing and clap while decorating cookies and chatting with the volunteers! Music helps the residents in numerous ways. Susan (a resident with dementia) was feeling frustrated and angry this morning, but once Michael started playing the guitar, she was singing and clapping along with a smile on her face!

A resident's sister came in to visit her while she decorated cookies. She told me that she hadn't seen her sister (the resident) smile in a long time, and that she was so happy to see how much fun her sister was having with Hearts and Hands.

Natalie, a resident, is from Japan, and is fluent in Japanese. So when Birdie, one of my volunteers, told me that she just got back from a trip to Japan, I connected the two and they chatted away for an hour about the sights of Japan! They had to much fun, and Birdie showed Natalie all of the pictures she took on her trip. Natalie was so excited to see somebody who could connect to her Japanese roots. In the picture above, Birdie and Natalie are holding up a cookie that they decorated together.

Today I was reminded of the impact of routinely visiting the residents. Before I leave, I always remind the residents that I will come back next time! And every time I come back, Jackie (a resident) tells me "You promised you would come back, and you came back!". She is always so surprised to see me, despite the fact that I routinely come nearly every weekend. Maybe Jackie is used to having people tell her that they will visit her, and them not showing up. So it always brings Jackie comfort that I always come back. Jackie (among all the other residents) has dementia, so it is very impressive that she has began remembering me. In the first few months, I had to reintroduce myself to Jackie every weekend. Now, she remembers my face and my name every time I come! It's so heartwarming to know that my presence has such a strong impact on her that she is able to remember me despite her memory issues.

Michael brought his little kids, and I gave them both cookies to decorate. So we had toddlers, high schoolers, adults, and seniors, all in one room enjoying the same activity together. It really is amazing how we can connect 5 generations through a simple cookie decorating party!

Michael and his wife both came up to me and told me how impressed they were with my punctuality and how I was able to get together this amazing group. They told me that their children love me so much and that if I was ever free to babysit them they would love to have me! I have never babysat before, but working with seniors with dementia is very close to working with young kids. I've learned how to prevent conflicts, how to teach them simple things, and how to make them happy!

All in all, we had a wonderful cookie decorating party to kick off Easter. I left feeling so fulfilled and so much happier than I was before I came! I cannot wait to visit the seniors again.

💌 About Hearts & Hands

Founded by students, Hearts and Hands creates intergenerational connections between young people and older adults. Volunteers lead activities, write letters, and spend time with seniors in assisted living and memory care. Discover how Hearts & Hands is making a difference: hhmarin.org.