Paint Night. Game Day. Spring Gala. At first glance, these events may seem like simple social gatherings. But for the participants in the school’s Intergenerational Bridges program, they offer something much more meaningful: connection.

Funded through the Modernizing Older Californians Act with an $85,000 grant, the program brings older and younger adults together through community-based activities designed to promote health, well-being and a sense of belonging across generations.

“The school has an extensive track record of providing health screenings and services to predominantly older adults through our Medicare health fairs,” said Rajul Patel ’01, ’06, PharmD, PhD, professor of pharmacy practice and director of patient care clinics. “However, the Intergenerational Bridges program has a different intent. At its core, the initiative responds to a critical and growing concern: social isolation among older adults.”

Many older adults experience shrinking social networks due to retirement, the loss of friends or family members, mobility challenges or living alone. Intergenerational programs create opportunities for purposeful interaction, helping older adults feel valued, engaged and included in their communities while fostering greater understanding between generations.

Throughout the year, participants gathered for a variety of activities, including game nights, a paint night, a multicultural fair, the Dancing Before Dark spring gala and more. These events move beyond traditional health care encounters to create authentic relationships built on shared experiences, conversation and fun.

Through partnerships with community centers, senior housing communities and other external groups, the program creates welcoming and inclusive spaces where people can connect, learn from one another and build meaningful, lasting relationships.

For Merna Lattimer, a new resident at Bethany Home in Ripon, the game day event offered more than an afternoon of fun — it provided an opportunity to reconnect with Pacific. Lattimer didn’t hesitate to sign up when she learned the university was. involved. She and her late husband, Bruce Lattimer ’64, ’78, were married at Morris Chapel in 1971, making the experience especially meaningful.

“When you move to assisted living, you lose your connection with your church and your community,” said Lattimer. “And that gets compounded when you’re not able to drive. All of that leads to isolation.”

The benefits extend beyond older adults. For students, the program provides opportunities to build empathy, cultural awareness and communication skills while supporting their own well-being and stress management.

“Being in the field of pharmacy gives me the privilege of meeting people from diverse backgrounds and cultures every day,” said Shanna Nguyen ’28, a first-year doctor of pharmacy student. “This event helped me deepen my understanding of different cultural experiences, which benefits me both as a student and as a future pharmacist. It strengthened my ability to approach others with empathy, open-mindedness and cultural awareness, qualities that are essential in providing patient-centered care.”

Programs such as Intergenerational Bridges help address that challenge by creating opportunities for older adults to reconnect with their communities while building meaningful relationships across generations.

For Dr. Patel, that sense of connection is what makes the program successful. While health screenings and clinical services remain an important part of the school’s outreach efforts, the Intergenerational Bridges program recognizes that health extends beyond medicine. By bringing generations together through shared experiences, the program helps combat isolation, foster belonging and strengthen the meaningful human connections that contribute so powerfully to health and well-being.