October 16, 2008
Spot on Seniors
by Kathleen Spring
The Lyons Recorder
Photo by Kathleen Spring
Paula Randazzo
There’s a new sheriff in town, and she’s in charge of keeping order between the active youth and seniors, protecting the fun-zone, and detecting crimes tagged Generation Gap. Her name is Paula Randazzo and she is the director of the Generational Active People (GAP) program.
The GAP program was devised seven years ago as a one-time program to get youth and the elderly together in fun environments to socialize, offering arts and crafts projects in order to help them get to know each other and realize that there is no need for a generation gap. Jenn Roth was the first director, and after the school year ended, she and sponsor LAACA (Lyons Area Advisory Council on Aging) decided it was such a success and so popular among the participants that they would make it a permanent group.
Jenn Roth, and now Paula Randazzo, split their time between being the Boulder County Youth Specialist at Lyons town hall and teen Prevention Intervention Specialist at the high school, as well as being director of GAP. Jenn had a fond farewell party in May, and is on her way to following her dream to help poor people in India.
Paula has been attending a few lunches at the Golden Gang meal site in order to get to know the seniors. She planned the first get-acquainted meeting between the teens and the seniors at the Lyons Middle-High School on Oct. 6. Generally there are about six to 12 teens, and the same number of elderly in the group. Members can attend as many or as few meetings as they want. All activities, art projects, and snacks are free.
“My favorite thing about working with the seniors is getting to know them and hear their stories,” said Paula. She also likes to hear them talk about bringing up their kids. She has a son, Aidan, 5.
With a strong education in art therapy, and an interest in photography and print making, Paula hopes to bring fresh useful creative ideas to the art projects the GAP group does this year. Her undergraduate degree is in art and psychology and her masters is in art therapy from Hahnemann University, Pennsylvania.
While attending graduate school and for a few years afterwards, she worked in Philadelphia in a psychiatric hospital. Part of her work was using art therapy with younger children.
“It was much more challenging working with people who had so much hardship,” said Paula. “I spent three years working with adults, which basically was making their day be a good quality day, making them laugh.”
She feels that working with the kids and adults there was good preparation for working with the teens and seniors in Lyons.
“Teens can be closed off and less willing to talk. Art is appealing to them,” said Paula. “As far as the senior group, I really hope that it grows from what Jenn Roth did. I hope to do some projects around memories. I am thinking of having them document their experience together over the year period.”
While at the Fraser Meadows Health Care Center, Boulder, as activity coordinator for eight years, she worked with Alzheimer patients using art projects. Even if the person has lost their voice, they are able to express their thoughts and emotions through art. Paula discovered watercolor was the easiest for them to use. She found that she not only had to deal with encouraging them to remember subjects to draw, but she had to help them understand how to use the medium.
“It was just an effort to get them to put the colors on the paper,” said Paula. “When they were done, I would ask them questions like, ‘What did it make you remember?’”
Every year the Alzheimer’s Association, Colorado Chapter, has a Memories in the Making art auction. Paula would work with artists in the area, like John Fielder, to pair up an Alzheimer patient’s picture with them. All the money raised went to the Association.
Paula believes in the value of patience and listening. One of her favorite memories is about something she experienced at the hospital involving a man who could not connect or talk with anyone.
“My job was to get people to go outside, so I encouraged him to go outside with me,” said Paula. “At first he didn’t want to, but I got him out. I then sat with him, and I was the only one talking. When we went back inside, he said, ‘I had a really nice time sitting with you. I hope we can do this again tomorrow.’ Then each time I saw him, he asked if we could go outside again. When I left, he wrote me a letter. He had found a piece of stationery and a pen on is own. What did I learn? I learned being present.”
To join the GAP group or ask questions contact Paula Randazzo at (303) 823-6622, ext. 16, on Mondays or Wednesdays, or call (303) 823-6631 on the other days.
REMINDERS
Volunteers are needed in the kitchen or to deliver meals. Call MaryLou, at (303) 823-6386, to volunteer or with your questions.
All seniors in Lyons are invited to take a special, free cooking class at the Walt Self Center, Oct. 29, Wednesday, from 1 to 3 p.m. Professionals will train you on making healthy meals for one or two people. To reserve a spot call by Monday, Oct. 27, 4 p.m. (303) 823-6386.
Flu shots, mist, and pneumonia shots will be given by the Visiting Nurse Association on Nov. 7, from noon to 2 p.m. More information to come, or call (303) 823-6386.
LAACA will be meeting on Oct. 22 at the Bloomfield Place at 2 p.m. Members and officers are needed for the 2008/09 year. Help plan special health events for seniors! Call (303) 823-6148 for more information.