Journalism Next | Manatee School For the Arts students volunteer to help Alzheimer's patients

MANATEE -- It's difficult to imagine going to sleep one night and waking up the next morning not being able to remember anything that happened yesterday.

When the students of the Manatee School for the Arts Action Team learned this is what all residents at the Inspired Living facility experience on a daily basis, the teenagers volunteered to help these individuals smile for a day.

Inspired Living at Hidden Lakes, 1200 54th Ave. W. in Bradenton, is a memory care assisted living community where all residents are afflicted with some form of Alzheimer's disease or dementia.

One month ago, Einar Saldana, activity assistant of Inspired Living, contacted Manatee School For the Arts in hopes of finding students willing to volunteer at the memory care facility. Saldana's search for volunteers was satisfied by the MSA Action Team.

"You might hear about Alzheimer's and dementia, but you don't really know what it is until you actually spend time with somebody that has it," said Saldana. "I'll do any little thing to make them smile."

A volunteer group oriented toward the betterment of the community, the MSA

Action Team was enthusiastic to have the opportunity to visit the retirement home and help its residents. Students of the MSA Action Team visited Inspired Living and spent a day in March with the patients participating in various activities, including playing bingo, taking walks outside, assisting in games such as catch and golf and just talking.

Other team members played instruments in a small performance for the memory care community.

Getting to know the residents was a touching, enlightening experience, said students.

"The most rewarding part of volunteering is seeing the difference you can make," said senior Emily Wainio-Oato, co-captain of the Action Team. "Even if it's just been a few hours, you see what a positive impact you've made on the community."

Students had the elderly residents laughing, singing and dancing in a day everyone said they enjoyed.

As testament to the spirit of volunteering exemplified by Action Team members, students gathered into groups after the visit and spoke about the new friends they made at Inspired Living and how rewarding it was to make a positive impact.

Junior Danielle Pawlikowski, co-captain of the MSA Action Team, said the team loved making a positive impact on the lives of others in the community.

"I want them (the residents) to know that there are people out there who care about them as much as we do and that they are still loved even if they don't feel like they are," Pawlikowski said.

The woman who inspired the visit by a simple request was also pleased.

"At the end of the day, it makes me feel good about myself that I have done something good for someone," Saldana said. "It does not feel like a job to me. It's something I love doing."

MSA Action Team and Inspired Living have scheduled another volunteer date. Inspired Living and Action Team will collaborate on a community carwash at the Wendy's on 14th Street West in Bradenton on Saturday, April 25.

Half the proceeds will benefit the Alzheimer's Association, with the other half going directly into funding for activities at Inspired Living at Hidden Lakes.

This story was originally published April 20, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Journalism Next | Manatee School For the Arts students volunteer to help Alzheimer's patients."