Lily is currently tackling her senior year at the University of Pennsylvania, majoring in Neuroscience and deftly maneuvering her way through minors in Healthcare Management and Chemistry. Her goal? To become a physician!

She felt inspired to give back to her beloved Philly and discovered StudentsCare, where she took on the role of Senior Buddy Coordinator. This year she helped kickstart a Senior Buddy Program with our Penn chapter and the Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center (CMCVAMC) Community Living Center– an experience she found extremely rewarding as it enabled her to build relationships with those who have dedicated their lives in service of our country.

One of her favorite memories is with her buddy, Troy, talking about the Super Bowl and sharing their experiences living in Philadelphia. Despite his blindness, he was able to describe every detail of the game like an expert analyst – right down to all that went wrong in the second half for their treasured Philadelphia Eagles. It was truly a remarkable and enjoyable experience.

StudentsCare volunteers, like Lily, are making a difference every day in the lives of isolated seniors. Our Senior Buddy Program was launched in April 2020, to help alleviate loneliness and isolation among this vulnerable population. Through this program, we partner with senior living facilities to connect isolated seniors with our trained and caring college student “Buddies” who offer weekly visits. Offering support and resources with compassion and care, we give older adults and their families a sense of comfort and reassurance that promotes hope and healing.

Want to know more about how you can make a difference in the life of a lonely older person in your community? Reach out to StudentsCare and learn more about our SeniorBuddy Program.

 

Lily Khabie, college student volunteer

“I believe that volunteering is so important because it enables me to connect more with my community and develop strong relationships and learn from others, enhancing both of our days. I always leave my time at the Veterans Community Living Center excited for the next week.”