In the small, river-laced city of Deventer, Netherlands, a heartwarming social experiment is quietly rewriting what it means to grow older, or younger, with company.
At the Woon-en Zorgcentrum Humanitas, seniors aren’t just cared for, they’re celebrated in the company of college students who call the nursing home home too. The catch? There isn’t one. Students live rent-free in exchange for 30 hours a month of companionship, conversation, and community with the older residents.
“It started with the idea of becoming the warmest home for seniors in Deventer,” said Gea Sijpkes, director of WZC Humanitas. “And we wanted to do that with the energy of the youth.”
And that energy has been nothing short of transformative.
Twelve years after its start, the program has gone global, becoming a model for similar setups in nursing homes, colleges, and even convents around the world. In one case, the Augustinian sisters of Utrecht welcomed three young women with medical degrees to live and work with them. “They bring liveliness to the house,” WZC Humanitas shared on their website, “and support the sisters with various tasks … providing meals, reception work, help with computers and mobile phones, and medical questions.”
But it’s not about chores or duties, it’s about meaningful connection.
“The students are not caregivers,” Sijpkes emphasized. “They’re good neighbors.”
There are no rigid rules around volunteer time. It’s not uncommon to find students and residents chatting on a bench, cheering at community dinners, or waving from the indoor pool where generations splash side-by-side.
“It doesn’t all have to be grand and exciting,” said Peter Kolb, one of the residential students. “If you talk to each other and show interest in each other, that already gives so much meaning.”
Another student, Dakota Donath, shared just how much the elders have impacted her. “They taught me to slow down a bit more,” she said. “That doesn’t make me older, but more aware of life.”
For Sijpkes, the magic lies in the simplicity. “It does not require huge investments or complex care structures,” she said. “It only requires people who are prepared to share their lives with others from a different generation.”
And science agrees. Studies show intergenerational friendships can ease stress, reduce depression, and boost self-esteem in older adults.
Plus, it’s a practical fix for a real-world problem. “There was a shortage of student housing, which meant that more and more young people were staying at home,” Sijpkes said. “I then thought: why don’t I combine the two?”
Looking ahead, WZC Humanitas is cooking up “Woonstudent 2.0,” a roommate-style program where seniors and students would live in the same unit, creating even deeper bonds and more opportunities to share wisdom, meals, and life.
“We continue to innovate,” said Sijpkes. “We want to create more space for joint projects, making optimal use of the skills and experiences of both generations.”
So yes, sometimes it does take a village. Or just one really magical nursing home.
