‘I Was Crushed’: How a Grieving 14-Year-Old Turned Rejection Into a Lifesaving Senior Movement
After losing her grandmother, 14-year-old Jiya Joshi found healing by bringing friendship to seniors
Key Takeaways
- Teen turns personal grief into a statewide movement connecting students with seniors.
- Young and Old United has mobilized over 500 student volunteers to visit nursing homes.
- Intergenerational visits bring joy, decrease isolation, and revive cherished history.
After losing her beloved grandmother, 14-year-old Jiya Joshi decided to volunteer at a nursing home — and it sparked a movement uniting generations through friendship, compassion and caring. Here, she shares her story with Woman’s World.
After being on hold, Jiya Joshi finally reached the nursing home volunteer coordinator. “I want to volunteer and visit,” she explained.
The administrator was welcoming until she learned Jiya was only 14. “We don’t allow volunteers under 18,” she declared. “Our staff doesn’t have time to care for both children and our seniors.”
Jiya was crushed, and not just because of the rejection. There was also the lingering grief for her grandmother, “Dadi,” who had passed away that year.
Jiya was only two when her grandparents came from India to help care for her while her parents were at work. Her grandmother, Saroj, drove her to school and cooked up the most delicious snacks they’d share over long conversations about life, school and friends. Even after her grandparents returned to India when Jiya was in the third grade, they spoke on the phone once a week.
But now, at 14, Jiya had lost her Dadi, and the aching void left her lonely. She had her friends and her mom and dad to talk to, but it wasn’t the same. They didn’t have Dadi’s wisdom and gentle kindness.
A heartfelt idea
That’s when the idea struck.
“What if I visit a nursing home? Maybe the residents would enjoy a visit as much as I would?”
After several more refusals to volunteer, Jiya tried something different.
“Could I come just once — a trial visit?” she asked Sharon Williams, Activities Director at Houston’s Landon Ridge Assisted Living. “If it doesn’t work, I won’t bother you again.”
Sharon was touched by the girl’s sincerity.
“Let’s give it a try,” she said, and Jiya was over the moon.
Jiya arrived for her first visit with a box of art supplies. She approached a group of seniors in a recreation area, put on a smile and introduced herself.
“I’m Jiya. Would you like to paint with me?”
“I love painting!” exclaimed a woman named Betty and soon she was regaling Jiya with incredible tales of her years as a nurse in Vietnam.
After losing her beloved grandmother, 14-year-old Jiya Joshi decided to volunteer at a nursing home — and it sparked a movement uniting generations through friendship, compassion and caring.
Young and Old United has helped spread love and support to hundreds of seniors across Houston.
“I was a pilot fighting the Germans in World War II,” said a second resident, and a third rushed off and returned with a chunk of concrete.
“You mentioned Germany — this is part of the Berlin Wall — a piece of history,” she explained.
As word of the youthful stranger spread, residents who rarely left their rooms emerged to see what the excitement was about. By the end of her visit, Jiya had a dozen new friends.
“I’ve never seen them so active,” Sharon marveled as she helped Jiya pack up. “You’re coming back — right?”
Making memories
Jiya returned every Saturday that summer. The residents adored having such a lively young person around, and Jiya loved their stories and hugs.
When school started, she invited friends to join her, and several said yes. The teens visited in pairs, and after just a few outings, many told Jiya, “This is the most fun I’ve had volunteering.”
As interest spread, Jiya founded Young and Old United. In two years, more than 500 middle and high school students began making regular nursing home visits across the state.
“Their eyes light up when they see her coming,” says Sharon.
For Jiya, the benefits flow both ways.
“Our seniors still have so much to offer,” she insists. “My grandmother taught me that. I can feel her smiling down on me!”
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