Clarkson Student Living at Maplewood

Editor’s Note: This piece is the first in a short series of articles highlighting the experience of Rebecca Brogan, a student at Clarkson University who is living at Maplewood Health Care & Rehabilitation Center in Canton. This piece, the first in the series, explains how the program, the first of its kind in New York State came to be. In our second installment, Ms. Brogan will speak about her first couple of months at Maplewood and what her experience has been like so far.

CANTON – Like most any other Sunday, Kimberly Blair was sitting at home watching 60 Minutes when a piece came on about college students in Europe volunteering and living in long-term care facilities in exchange for free room and board.

“I had seen the piece on 60 Minutes and I thought, ‘Oh my God, that would be so cool,’” Mrs. Blair said, noting the piece aired more than two years ago. “I never thought though that it could happen here,”

Marilyn Cobb participates in an exercise class led by Rebecca Brogan.

Fast forward now to the spring of 2017. Mrs. Blair was working in her office when Director of Rehabilitation Terry Micelli came into her office with a letter. 

“Terry had come in, set the letter on my desk and said, ‘read this,’” Mrs. Blair recalls. “I asked her what it was, and she said, ‘Just read it.’ I read it and then we both got really excited.”

The letter came from Rebecca Brogan, a 2016 graduate of Rutgers University from Frenchtown, NJ who was planning on attending Clarkson starting in the fall of 2018.

“I am reaching out to you because I feel I can offer a great opportunity that will not only benefit your program and your residents but also assist me during my studies at Clarkson University,” she wrote. “There is a growing trend in Europe that is making its way to the United States where college students live within a nursing or assisted living facility to create an intergenerational living program.”

This was exactly what Mrs. Blair had seen on television a few years ago. After being given clearance to pursue this opportunity by United Helpers CEO Stephen Knight, Mrs. Blair said she reached out to Ms. Brogan and began “jumping through hurdles” to make sure they could be ready for her arrival in August of 2018.

“As you know health care is a very heavily regulated industry, and rightfully so,” Mrs. Blair said, noting she first reached out to Department of Health Officials, who after several discussions said Maplewood could be the first facility in New York State to host such a program.

Mrs. Blair said they then had to find a space in the facility, which they could convert into an apartment for Ms. Brogan. Ultimately an office and a seldom-used men’s locker room conveniently located next door was identified as the space that would become her home for the next two-and-a-half years.

“We had to work with the town’s code enforcement office and there were a couple things we needed to change, but we were able to get her room ready to go in time,” Mrs. Blair said.

Prior to entering into a formal agreement with Ms. Brogan, Mrs. Blair invited her and her mother to visit.

“We were impressed with her and they were both impressed with us,” Mrs. Blair recalls, adding, “Her mother told us Rebecca has always been an old soul.”

In exchange for the free room and board, Ms. Brogan is obligated to provide 20-30 hours of structured volunteer time with the residents each month, but to date, Mrs. Blair said she has gone above and beyond, often spending additional, unstructured time with them as well.

“That time can be even more valuable, as she’s interacting with them one on one and forming relationships with them,” Mrs. Blair said.

Activities Director Dawn Kimble oversees Ms. Brogan’s efforts and said so far she has been impressed.

“Rebecca has forged friendships with many of the residents and has even provided one on one visits to residents who often do not participate in our other activities,” Ms. Kimble said, listing exercise classes, cards, movies, and even manicures as formal activities that she has participated in.

“She is not timid and encourages residents to share their interests and life experiences,” Ms. Kimble said. “Many of the residents have told us that they really enjoy her company.

Mrs. Blair said to the best of her knowledge Maplewood’s Giving, Living and Learning program is only the second of its kind in the country, with the other being located in Cleveland, Ohio at a facility located adjacent to a music school.

“I would really like to see this program continue and maybe even one day we can make it a competitive program,” she said, adding she envisions opening it up to students from Clarkson, St. Lawrence, SUNY Potsdam, and SUNY Canton.

“If they’re interested in working with the elderly, we would love to have them here,” Mrs. Blair said.

Ms. Brogan is seeking a Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy from Clarkson and is slated to graduate after the completion of the fall semester in the year 2020.

“If all goes well, she’ll be here the entire time,” Mrs. Blair said.

The Giving, Living and Learning program is an expansion of Maplewood Health Care & Rehabilitation Center’s already existing intergenerational program, as residents from both the skilled nursing and assisted living sides of the facility interact regularly with children from the Canton Day Care Center, which is also housed at Maplewood.