Mercedes Vergel Alonso hears a knock on her door at her home in Homestead. When she opens it, Elsa Dolmo is there to visit her as part of an intergenerational volunteer program called Avus Connect.
Dolmo is a neuroscience and aging student at Miami Dade College. She began volunteering with Avus this year but says it’s been a great journey so far. Dolmo says she loves being able to see the excitement of older adults as they share stories about their life and learn how to use new technology.
Alonso, who describes Dolmo’s visits as a “lifesaver,” lives alone. With the visits, she has learned to send text messages, save contacts, play games, and use WhatsApp on a special tablet provided by Avus. The 74-year-old retired physics teacher says using the tablet helps her exercise her brain.
Dolmo says, “I can definitely see myself doing this type of thing long term. Visiting a senior was such a fulfilling experience.”
The Avus program pairs local high school or college students with older adults who may be experiencing loneliness or depression, giving both generations the chance to engage in meaningful conversation and establish lasting bonds.
Supported by United HomeCare and Miami-Dade County public schools, the program was created in 2021 to help ease the difficulties seniors faced from the isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also has received funding from the National Community Care Corps Grant and the Older Americans Act.
Avus, which began in a select few highschools, has now become a well-recognized community service program that many schools and colleges highlight at service fairs or community events. Once a student signs up they are paired with a senior that is receiving services from United HomeCare. Over 260 older adults take part in the program.
Miriam Yullion, a 79-year-old retired hairstylist who struggles to walk, has been with Avus since 2023, and the visits and calls have become an essential part of her life. Living alone at an older age with a condition, can be challenging both physically and socially therefore having a volunteer come over and socialize with Yullion while also helping with small requests she might have is what makes the program special.
“I think the program is very fabulous and it is definitely very special to be able to establish a connection with a young volunteer. It helps us both,” she said.
Through its time, Avus has received numerous awards and recognitions, including the United Way Outstanding Youth Award, Quality Senior Living Award, and Generations United’s Program of Distinction.
In 2023, after a $150,000 donation from Simply Healthcare, the program was able to launch Avus Tech Pals. An initiative in which volunteers visit older adults in their homes and teach them how to use specially designed tablets. For seniors like Yullion, who struggle with mobility, having access to this technology is life-changing.
“With the tablet, I can have medical checkups straight from home,” she said. “It’s also great to build a relationship with the volunteers who come to teach me how to use the tablet.”
For others, like 90-year-old retired school teacher Elenor “Ellie” Goldman, Tech Pals has provided the opportunity to video chat with her family across the country whom she does not see often. She also said being able to socialize with volunteers helps her greatly and she wishes they visited even more often.
While the program has been transformative for seniors, it has also benefited the volunteers.
“Avus is like a two-way street, while the older adult has someone to talk to, I’m learning from them at the same time,” said volunteer Gabriel Garcia.
Garcia, who is one of the founding members of Avus, joined in 2021, when Avus was solely a phone call program. Throughout his time the college sophomore has made numerous calls establishing connections with seniors all across South Florida and says there has not been a single one he hasn’t learned something from.
Carlos Martinez, United HomeCare CEO, said he thinks Avus is one of the best programs created under his leadership and hopes it continues to evolve and improve the daily lives of the often-forgotten members of society.
“Avus reminds us that meaningful connections don’t depend on age or background,” Martinez said. “Whether it is sharing life stories, learning how to use a tablet or simply hearing a friendly voice, these bonds help the lives of both sides.”
As for the future of Avus, Blanca Ceballos, the program coordinator, says she hopes to continue growing and reaching out to the members of our society that need help the most. Additionally, she says the program is currently in the works of also becoming an advocacy group for senior care to push lawmakers into doing more for older members of the community.
“We hope to be the voice for this often silent group of people and possibly make some change,” Ceballos said. “We need different generations working together to enhance the quality of life for older adults.”
