St. Vincent Catholic School adopts elderly friends

Intermountain Catholic

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St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School fifth grade class adopts the elderly residents at Infinia Health Care Center in Salt Lake City. The students performed familiar songs on their recorders for the residents. IC photos by Christine Young

SALT LAKE CITY — St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School’s fifth grade class adopted the elderly residents at Infinia, an Alta Health Care Center in Salt Lake City. Infinia is a long- and short-term respite and hospice stay facility.

"It feels good to help these people because their families do not usually visit them," said fifth-grader Casey Crosson.

Lea Ljubicic, also in fifth grade, said, "It is fun to see their smiling faces. They are happy when we come to do crafts with them."

Infinia Activities Director Mary Heideman said the St. Vincent fifth graders spent one day a month with the residents doing crafts or putting on programs at their school.

"These students are amazing," said Heideman. "They put on a Valentine’s Day pizza party and a Grandparents/Grandfriends Day program. The students made cards for the residents at Thanksgiving and for New Year’s, and they put on a Christmas program. They also took half the money they raised in a school project and put it toward poinsettias and socks for the residents for Christmas. Every month after Christmas, a group of 10 students would come to Infinia and to do crafts with the residents also from the money they raised. A staff member would then walk a student with a resident to his or her room so the students could see where the residents live.

"This has been really exciting for both the residents and the students," said Heideman. This teaches the students not be afraid of the elderly or of care centers. The students have given from their hearts to the residents. They are learning to look beyond themselves to help others."

Marjorie Start, the fifth grade teacher assistant, said "The interaction between the residents and the students has been a good way to prepare the students for earning service hours. Hopefully they will continue to come down to Infinia on Friday afternoons when they do not have school, with their parents, who have been so supportive."

Fifth grade teacher Terry Stack said, "The students have studied life skills, giving service to others, and the virtues. Each month we would practice virtues such as patience, compassion, love, service, trust worthiness, and responsibility. The students enjoyed it so much they did not want this to end."

Fifth-grader Cassidy Brown said, "We learned about the virtues, and it was good to come and visit because they don’t have family members who visit them."

"We became their family and I think it meant a lot," said fifth- grader Cassadey Fedel.

"This has been fun because they were always really excited to see us," said fifth-grader Claudia Start. "It has been fun making other people happy."