Marquette Students Offer Dynamic Programs at Senior Living Community
In the vibrant community of St. Camillus in Wauwatosa, weekends are bustling with activities, from zoo walks to yoga sessions. However, what sets this senior living facility apart is that these engaging activities are spearheaded not by staff but by younger residents—students from Marquette University.
As the academic year commenced in late August, while many students settled into dormitories or apartments near downtown Milwaukee, a group of five students chose a different path, moving into St. Camillus Life Plan Community. This unique living arrangement provides them with an opportunity to live alongside seniors, offering housing options from independent living to memory care and hospice.
Among them is Daija Holiday, a Ph.D. candidate who found her new home at St. Camillus after relocating from North Carolina. “I love community living spaces,” Holiday said, citing her upbringing with grandparents as a reason the community felt like a natural fit.
Another Marquette student, Sam Sampson, shares a similar sentiment. After moving from India, Sampson found solace at St. Camillus, filling a void left by the loss of his grandparents in childhood. “I found a sense of finding my own grandparents in those ways,” Sampson reflected, recounting his visits to friends’ homes to interact with their elders.
The program is the brainchild of Stacy Barnes, a Marquette University nursing professor and head of the Wisconsin Geriatric Education Center. Inspired by international models like the Humanitas retirement home in the Netherlands, which offers rent-free housing to students who volunteer, Barnes sought to create a program that fosters intergenerational interaction with active seniors.
Bridging Generations Through Volunteerism
Launched in 2022 after a pandemic delay, the St. Camillus initiative allows Marquette students to reside at the facility at a reduced rent in exchange for a minimum of eight volunteer hours per week. This model not only provides affordable housing options but also combats loneliness and age-related stereotypes, according to Barnes. “Programs like this really reduce social isolation and loneliness,” she emphasized.
Within the community, students like Sampson have become favorites among residents. “He’s in our ukulele class and he’s going to sing a love song during one of our performances in October,” said resident Susan Kirsch. Sampson also brings laughter and learning through weekly TED talks, technology classes, and his stand-up comedy segment, “Sam Unfiltered.”
Meanwhile, Holiday offers a diverse range of activities including movies, brain games, origami, and fitness classes. Her contributions are well-received, as resident Kirsch noted, “We love Daija, we love her living here and we love coming to these classes.”
The St. Camillus program is part of a growing trend in intergenerational housing. Similar programs, such as one at Mount Mary University, aim to foster connections between students and seniors. Barnes highlights the importance of these interactions, stating, “It helps build genuine natural relationships between the generations, and people are feeling more connected to others.”
