Unscripted Magazine Spring 2024 - Flipbook - Page 24
WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE
a connection.
Across the country, senior living communities are
considering collaborations with colleges to tap into
an existing market for lifelong learning, similar to the
goals of our existing Pathways Institute for Lifelong
and Purdue University and senior living provider
Learning, and preserve valuable connections across
Varcity have recently reached an agreement to
generations and the knowledge sharing that comes
establish a wellness-infused residential development
with doing so. Arizona State University even has a
in Discovery Park District at Purdue.
retirement living community, Mirabella, on its campus,
As Albert Einstein once said, “If you only talk to
people like you, you’ll never learn anything new.”
F R U I T F U L I N M O R E W AY S T H A N O N E
Kelly aspires to leverage her nursing major and
hands-on experience to pursue a career as a
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)
post-graduation—starting as a critical care nurse for
several years and then applying to CRNA programs.
Self-identifying as an “old soul,” Kelly said she’s
always enjoyed seeking wisdom from those older
and wiser, and the experience living and working in
a long-term care setting not only equipped her with
skills and knowledge that will be valuable in the field
of work she aims to enter, but it also filled her cup.
“There’s a lot of things we can learn from seeing
people’s perspectives from other generations, who
have experiences and knowledge to share from other
times of life,” Kelly said. “This experience taught me
that aging looks so different for everyone, and aging
doesn’t have to be a negative thing. I’ve seen a lot of
community built up on this campus, and people are
still living full lives in their 70s, 80s, and 90s, with
plenty of things to do and people to see.”
During her three-month Fellowship, Kelly worked
shifts as a nursing assistant (NA), sometimes even
in the Enhanced Living neighborhood where Ron
currently resides.
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