Call it a win-win-win situation. Memory care patients at the Poydras Home got some extra community interaction. Second graders at The Willow School learned kitchen and social skills. And homeless pups at the Louisiana SPCA got homemade treats.
The Generation 2 Generation baking program brought the seniors and the youngsters together for a regular morning of baking and socializing at the SPCA, located at 1700 Mardi Gras Blvd. The two groups worked together to make from-scratch dog treats for the shelter animals.
While the treats were in the oven, dogs available for adoption came out to play with their special guests.
Nancy Gamble, front, with Levi Celestine and Armani Dauphin
By the end of the day, hundreds of treats had been made for the pups.
In preparation for each visit, the children and their teachers discussed the aging process, including dementia.
During each outing, the elders and children discuss the impact their service has on the community.
The Poydras Home residents were charmed and entertained by both the children and the animals.
All those involved recognized the positive impact the collaboration had on animals in need as well as on the participants themselves.
Joyce Post, center, with Theo Roche and Camden Michaelson
The yearlong program is made possible through a grant to Poydras Home from the I’m Still Here Foundation, whose mission is to help people living with dementia flourish through engagement in life, family and community. The foundation aims to provide a higher quality of life, reduce anxiety, apathy, agitation and aggression, and give meaning to those living with dementia.
Poydras Home hopes to expand the program in coming years to offer more schools the opportunity to participate.
One family member had this to say about the program:
“Thank you so much for this. My sister, Linda, told me over and over about Generation 2 Generation Baking with great enthusiasm. You know she is an animal lover, but what she enjoyed the most on this trip were the kids. She found it so fulfilling and fun that she told me she wasn’t sure it really happened. She said she wondered if she had dreamed it.”
For more information, visit www.imstillhere.org.
Next up, the group will be baking homemade dog-friendly king cakes for the pups to celebrate the Carnival season.
Events
FEB. 5: Join Animal Rescue New Orleans at Port Orleans Brewing Co., 4124 Tchoupitoulas St., for PUP-er Bowl from noon to 3 p.m. Meet adoptable dogs, and ARNO will receive a percentage of sales during the event. For more information, email adopt@animalrescueneworleans.org.
Traci D. Howerton is the volunteer coordinator for Animal Rescue New Orleans (ARNO), a nonprofit, volunteer-based, no-kill shelter. For more information on ARNO, visit www.animalrescueneworleans.org.
