I have worked with older adults in a number of different capacities during the past twenty years, however today was one of the few times that I have had the opportunity to interact with them, when I was not responsible for 100% of their care, giving medications, taking them to medical appointments, ensuring that they are safe and well cared for…I think you get the picture. Today afforded me the chance to personally interact and spend time with older adults, on a more equal level, when you are not personally resposible for all aspects of an older adults life, it is much easier and more relaxing to enjoy the time you have with them, especially when their is a leisure activity thrown into the mix.

Very seldom in life is there little or no stress involved in any activity we participate in, however today was a totally stress free and enjoyable time, spent with new friends from a diverse array of backgrounds. The aging process is not homogeneous, and the PALETTE program provides a perfect opportunity for participants to experience that diversity across all levels of the lifespan from young college students to older adults.

Jill Lindsay, graduate student in the VCU Department of Gerontology