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| Ilana and her grandmother |
Older adults have always been an integral part of my life.
A highlight of my week is when I check in with my grandmother to
see how she’s doing and tell her what’s going on in my life.
Because of those family relationships, I have sought out various
opportunities related to working with older adults and discovered my passion
for intergenerational work.
I also recently graduated from Brandeis University in Waltham,
MA, with a degree in Health: Science, Society & Policy (in simpler terms:
public health).
This summer, I am interning at Generations United through the
National Academy of Social Insurance’s (NASI) Somers internship on long-term
care and aging research.
Through my internship, I want to build off of my experiences
with intergenerational programs.
At Brandeis, I took several courses on topics related to aging,
which complemented activities that I participated in.
My intergenerational work included coordinating a student-led a capella concert series at an assisted
living residence and participating in Sages and Seekers, which teamed students
with elders to interview them about their lives.
A couple summers ago, I interned at My Second Home, an intergenerational
adult day program in my home state of New York. I love seeing the interactions
between the younger and the older generations. It just seems natural to me.
This summer, my projects include updating Generations United’s database,
researching statistics and information about the benefits of intergenerational
programs, working on the Best Intergenerational Communities Initiative and
helping with the Program of Distinction Award.
As someone interested in the field of aging and pursuing work
that benefits older adults, I want to learn more about related policy and other
intergenerational programs that exist.
Additionally, I will help out with Grandparents Day. A perk of
being in our nation’s capital is the opportunity to attend a range of meetings and
legislative hearings on relevant topics.
As a NASI intern, I hope to apply what I learn about social
insurance and policy issues to the projects that I work on at Generations
United.
I’m excited and looking forward to this summer with Generations United!
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