Learning About Alzheimer's Disease and Caregiving: An Intergenerational Program at NYU

Abstract

Service Learning (SL) pedagogy combines credit-bearing academic study with community service and reflection. The NYU Service Learning: Alzheimer’s Disease (Buddy) course matches a person with early-stage Alzheimer’s, Dementia, or Mild Cognitive Impairment (the “mentor”) with an undergraduate (the “buddy”). This brief provides information on the course and on the students and older adults who have participated since 2019. We discuss Buddy’s course design and learning outcomes, impacts on student career trajectories, as well as impacts on the mentors, their caregivers, and family members.