Connecting the Elderly to the Community

Connecting the Elderly to the Community is a program started in the 2011-2012 school year at UC Davis to reduce isolation and loneliness in the Davis senior community through music and performance.

As a volunteer, you can donate your time and talent once, or regularly in a variety of settings. Currently we are working with three different senior programs/centers in Davis that you can choose from depending on which one best suits your schedule, what environment you would like to volunteer in, and your type of performance. Please contact the community center and person of choice in order to schedule a performance.

1) Davis Healthcare Center: a convalescent hospital in East Davis.

Environment: Residents here range from hospice care to post-surgery rehabilitation. The majority of the residents have severe physical or mental restrictions.

Timing: The major restriction is that there cannot be night or late evening performances because most of the residents are sleeping. Late morning and afternoon performances are the best. Week days and Saturdays have a wide availability.

2) Atria Covell Gardens: a senior assisted living facility in central Davis.

Environment: This is more of an upscale senior facility, with a wide range of residents.

Timing: very flexible. The performances here are usually more coordinated, with many able bodied residents able to attend.

3) Saturday Club (formerly called Time Off for Caregivers): Offered two Saturdays of the month at the Davis Senior Center (near downtown). This program provides a five-hour break from caregiving.  Volunteers are matched with an client to assist them with the day's activities. They are also eager for performers on Saturday afternoons to entertain and brighten the day of their seniors.