Two Bear Creek Secondary School students have launched an organization supporting the mental health and well-being of seniors in Barrie and beyond.
Wanna Waziri and Nevaeh Barbosa, co-founders of Golden Years Wellness, provide creative events and services for local seniors, including craft workshops, card-making services, and technological support services.
The duo recently worked with Roberta Place Retirement Lodge on Essa Road in south-end Barrie to host a craft event, and are currently making personalized cards for more than 80 seniors at two units at Southlake hospital in Newmarket.
The aim of their mission is to “bring joy and connection to seniors in our community."
Waziri and Barbosa recently partnered with Roberta Place to host an event featuring social interaction with bingo and hot cocoa.
They also provide tech services for seniors, teaching them how to use their devices in an internet-connected world.
The response from seniors?
“They’ve all been really happy — happy to see young people connecting with them,” Waziri told BarrieToday.
“They said, ‘seeing you guys just makes us feel so young,'” Barbosa added.
But, how does it make the students themselves feel?
“I love being able to put smiles on their faces, just brighten their day,” Barbosa said. “It can get lonely being in a retirement home, so just letting young people come in spending time with them, I know it means a lot.”
“Everybody's talking about mental health help, but nobody's really focusing on seeing their mental health,” Waziri chimed in.
Waziri and Barbosa stress that they are both advocates for mental health and care a lot about it.
“Not a lot of people focus on senior mental health,” Waziri said.
Barbosa volunteers quite regularly at a retirement home, and she believes there’s not many people coming to visit them, and not a lot of focus on the residents.
They hope to continue their efforts with monthly events.
“We did a bake sale recently at Roberta Place where we each made treats and sold them,” Waziri said. “Raising money is one of our next focuses to help fund the events and continue our initiative."
The duo will also be submitting their work as part of the Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) Canada competition for community awareness, which their Red Oak Drive school is taking part in.
The mission of HOSA Canada is to enable secondary and post-secondary students to become leaders in the health-care industry by enabling future health professionals to acquire knowledge, skills training and leadership development through competition, according to the organization’s website.