The Best of Both Worlds: How Middletown Home and Penn State Harrisburg Benefit One Another
in Blog
04 Oct 2016
The Middletown Home has the unique benefit of neighboring Penn State Harrisburg’s campus. These two establishments are not only a benefit to the community, they are a great benefit to one another!
Together, we have found many different opportunities to collaborate and encourage residents and students to interact. The relationships formed remind us that we can always learn something new, especially from people who are in different stages of life. Here are just a few highlights of how the Middletown Home and Penn State Harrisburg benefit one another.
Sharing Knowledge and Wisdom
When students and residents interact, there is an intergenerational communication and wisdom sharing that benefits both the old and young. The Middletown Home is working to implement a Senior Scholastic Institute that would allow residents to attend or view some of Penn State’s classes at no cost. With technology that allows residents to learn from classes online, there is no limit to lifelong learning!
Learning from Different Cultures and Experiences
More than just learning from the traditional classes, residents and students learn from one another. The differences in age, life experiences and cultures are a huge benefit to our community and to our ability to expand our views.
Companionship
As students interact and learn from one another, they also provide companionship. An engaging conversation, sharing a story or answering a question are all mentally stimulating activities for our residents. Also, the emotional bond of friendship adds to the quality of life – for the old and the young! As people from varied backgrounds and positions in life get to know one another, they pave the way to a better future with understanding.
Community Involvement
The Middletown Home and Penn State Harrisburg come together to better serve the community. Our residents, along with Penn State students, regularly participate in volunteer work that results in so much more than what the actual task accomplishes. The greater benefit is the interaction for our residents and for the students to gain practical life lessons while learning compassion.
Social Interaction
The benefit of social interaction cannot be emphasized enough. Without the environment of the Middletown Home and the added bonus of being located so close to Penn State Harrisburg’s campus, many seniors would go days or longer without meaningful social interaction. That’s never a concern here! From interacting with fellow residents to getting to know the students, our residents are always developing new relationships.
What are your thoughts on how the Middletown Home and Penn State Harrisburg share resources to create a better community? Leave us a comment below!