Wesley Palms Intergenerational Program Connects Residents, Middle School Students
June 8, 2026
SAN DIEGO — Wesley Palms, a Front Porch community in San Diego, is continuing an intergenerational program that connects residents with students from Pacific Beach Middle School through games, conversations and shared activities.
The program, “Ageless Playground,” began as an eighth-grade school project centered on bingo games and expanded as students learned more about the residents’ interests and needs. Students created specialized bingo cards for visually impaired residents, and eventually the program grew to include backgammon, chess, Scrabble and Rummikub.
About 10 students participated during the spring semester, meeting weekly with residents while earning community service and volunteer credit through their school. The spring session concluded with a May 4 “graduation” ceremony, during which students presented their reflections on their experience and residents welcomed a new group of volunteers who will continue the program.
Ndinda Spada, life enrichment director at Wesley Palms, said the program became meaningful for both generations. Many of the students come from international families and do not have grandparents living nearby, according to the community.
“This became much more than a requirement for the students,” Spada said. Even after the students met their required participation hours for school credit, they continued to visit the seniors weekly. “They truly wanted to create impact in Wesley Palms and across San Diego.”
“Programs like ‘Ageless Playground’ serve as an opportunity to showcase the depth of wisdom older adults carry,” said Sean Kelly, CEO of Front Porch Communities and Services. “Their experiences, insights and presence bring unmatched value to graduated and incoming generations.”
The program also expanded into a philanthropic effort. Students and residents in the Wesley Palms memory care neighborhood created handmade dog toys for the San Diego Humane Society.
Participants included Nyack Baumgaertel, Iker Baumgaertel, James Scharetg, Declan Kelly, Lucio Locatelli and Kai Frias
Front Porch Communities and Services is a nonprofit senior living and services provider.
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