One of the happiest moments of the summer mornings at the AFA Mijas Day Centre, located in Avenida de México in Mijas Pueblo, is when the youth volunteers arrive, boys and girls who dedicate part of their holidays to these elderly people. Time but, above all, love, a lot of love is what the volunteers of the Youth Volunteering Programme of the Mijas Association of Relatives of Alzheimer's and other dementias patients offer. This year 28 young people have taken part in this initiative which, according to the association, ‘is really rewarding both for the elderly and for the young people.

The first few minutes are dedicated to greetings, hugs and kisses, then everyone gets down to work and they begin to organise workshops on numbers and letters, memory, handicrafts, as well as games such as petanque or darts and exercises to get bones, muscles and joints in shape. The mornings when ‘the children’ come, as the elderly call the volunteers, everything becomes especially cheerful, fun and exciting, which is typical of young people. 

Miguel Padilla has been participating in this programme for three years now, he knows the disease very well as his grandmother and aunt come to the centre. "I really enjoy being here, although I have to get up early, which is something I don't like, but, it's worth it and rewarding, we have so much fun". Isabel, his grandmother, What can she say? Well, that she enjoys her grandson's company very much, "Miguel is beautiful, he is very good. When he comes, we do handicrafts, we write... and we do the things that children do (she refers to playing)", commented this user. 

 

For other volunteers, such as Ainoha Peinado, the experience is new and gratifying, "my mother asked me if I wanted to come and I said yes because I like helping and collaborating with the elderly", she said, "the experience is great, we have grown quite fond of one another. They also tell me stories of when they were kids, Ana, for example, sings songs from her childhood, it's great", added the young woman who is sure that she will be back next year.  

 

Intergenerational programme 

The programme, according to the association, "is rewarding for both parties", both the elderly users of AFA Mijas and the young people. They all emphasise that it is an experience from which they learn a lot. "I love it, it gives you joy, it helps you to feel good about everything. At least I feel that way, it helps me a lot, it inspires my heart", said Ángela, one of the users of the centre. "I have learned to be patient and, above all, to love them very much, because you appreciate that one day they are not going to be here", acknowledged Miguel, a volunteer in the programme. "The aim is to see how the inclusion of children from 7 to 16 years of age with older people works intergenerationally", explained Alberto Martín, a nursing assistant at the centre, who recalled that the programme began in 2014 and added that "the evolution is very positive, it brings them joy, cognitively it also helps them a lot, the truth is that we are very happy". 

 

Presentation of diplomas 

After many summer mornings spent together, on Friday it was time to say goodbye, and they did so with a big party with games, music and dancing.  There was also time for photos, laughter and even tears of gratitude and emotion. Finally, it was the seniors themselves who presented the volunteers with their well-deserved diplomas, thanking them for participating in the AFA Mijas youth volunteering programme and, above all, for dedicating part of their time and a lot of love during their holidays. The initiative in its first decade has already exceeded all expectations, congratulations. 

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