St. Augustine grade 8 students connect with seniors at Rimoka and Sunrise Village
LINKages is a program that pairs up 2 students with a senior where they meet throughout the school year once a month at one of the senior centres to visit, play cards/games and get to know each other.
Benefits to Youth:
Increase in self-esteem, communication and leadership skills
Acquisition of community service, job experience, and a social consciousness
Increased understanding, empathy and compassion for the challenges of the aging
Respecting the older generation
Benefits to Seniors:
Opportunity to share life experiences, history and wisdom with a younger generation thereby providing an increased sense of purpose, worth and value to the large community
Alleviation of loneliness and social isolation
Overall improvement in health and well-being, motivation, energy, feelings of self-esteem and often cognitive, psychological and physical health
