Pope Francis Memorial workshops bring youth and elderly together at nursing home

The Pope Francis Memorial held workshops titled Memorias que sanan and Memorias que viven at the Casa Yekkan nursing home to encourage intergenerational connection through life stories. The program brought together young volunteers, adult volunteers, and elderly residents to combat loneliness.

Adult volunteers and residents used childhood objects such as old telephones, dolls, and traditional toys to discuss past customs and experiences. In the second stage, young volunteers joined the sessions to listen to the life stories of the elderly and share their own experiences.

Juan Carlos Hurtado Vega, a psychoanalyst and collaborator with Cenyeliztli, told Desde la Fe that the workshops changed the daily life of the nursing home by encouraging residents to seek more activities. He noted that residents showed increased willingness to participate as the sessions progressed, while volunteers found ways to build relationships across different generations.