Artman was filled with energy and excitement on a sunny Friday morning in April. Residents met in the Atrium, the community’s central gathering place, to await the arrival of students, from Twin Spring Farm, a preschool located in Ambler.

I love that Artman is a community full of friends. There’s a positive spirit throughout the place

–Mary Marincola, Artman resident

“I volunteered here for about 30 years before I moved in, almost five years ago. I love that there are wonderful activities,” Mary says. Previous visits from the students have included yoga exercise, assembling donations for an animal shelter, and putting together gift bags for patients at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

Today, the students arrived at Artman for an Easter egg hunt and a visit from a VIP guest – the Easter Bunny. “It’s wonderful to have the children visit,” Mary says. “They are so enthusiastic about the things we do together. We really enjoy when they come to see us here.”

Following the Easter egg hunt, students led residents in singing a classic springtime tune, Take Me Out to the Ballgame. “They make us feel really good. We talk about the activities we’re doing and get to know them,” Mary continues. “It’s a real special thing, to be able to talk to them and do things with one another, especially given the different times and experiences between our generations.”

A Visit Everyone Looks Forward to…

For Kelly Clinefelter, educational director of Twin Spring Farm, visits to Artman have been a wonderful experience for the students. “Twin Spring Farm and Artman collaborated on this service project with the Kelly Ann Dolan Fund. It has been incredible to see the interaction between the residents and our 4, 5 and 6-year-old students,” says Kelly.

It has truly been a heartwarming experience. The residents and the staff have made us all feel so welcome. We look forward to every visit.

Kelly Clinefelter, educational director of Twin Spring Farm

According to Mary Cassidy, a community life leader at Artman, the visits have a therapeutic aspect for residents. “Visits from children, even younger ones such as these students, can help bring older adults back to a time when they were younger and raising their own families,” Mary Cassidy notes.

“We’ve seen a lot of behavioral and social benefits across our community, from personal care and memory care. It’s wonderful to see our residents light up when they see the kids come in through the hallway. That glow remains with them for days afterward.”

Did you know that Artman Assisted Living Community offers both Memory Care and Skilled Nursing Services? To understand the differences between each level of care read our blog post by clicking here!