Happy Intern Appreciation Day to all CMSS interns! We’re excited to introduce Senior Connections intern Lily Miner, who has been working with us since January.
Lily is a Masters student at Loyola, studying social work. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology. Before joining us at CMSS, Lily spent a year in Spain teaching and worked in treatment for teens with mental illness and addiction. In her current program, Lily is on the clinical track to be a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC).
Since she was a kid, Lily has been drawn to older adults and enjoyed spending time with them. In 2020, she volunteered with hospitalized older adults who were at risk for delirium. She visited seniors to ensure they were engaging in social interactions and conversations at a time when hospital visits were especially restricted and when patients were at a higher risk for becoming isolated and lonely.
During her time with Senior Connections, Lily has assisted with outreach, helped to onboard new participants and volunteers, and met with current volunteers and participants to assess current matches. Visiting with current and potential matches is a key part of the Senior Connections program, helping us ensure successful friendships are formed and maintained. Lily has also designed an evaluation survey to help our organization better measure the impacts of Senior Connections through both qualitative and quantitative metrics. These surveys will help us understand what has been successful and what can be improved.
About her internship, Lily says, “My favorite part has been the personal relationships I’ve formed with participants in the program. I’ve always loved older adults, and it’s been so rewarding to build these relationships, learn more about myself, and hear their stories. This program has such an amazing impact on both isolated older adults and older adults who have lots of social engagements. Everybody involved sings its praises and sees the great benefits of these connections.”
We wish Lily well as she heads to her next internship opportunity at Hazelden. Lily will graduate from her social work program in May 2026. In the meantime, she plans to sign up to volunteer at Senior Connections to officially find her own match. Thank you, Lily, for all your support and help this year! And thanks for continuing to be part of the Senior Connections community!
Give now to double your impact!
We are thrilled to announce that an anonymous donor has committed to match gifts to the Senior Connections program. Give now and your gift will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $15,000, doubling your impact. Thank you for helping Senior Connections reach more older adults and volunteers!
Join our intergenerational community! Sign up for Senior Connections today!