Galloway, N.J. — Macie Osburn loves working with older members of the community.

“I used to work in a rehab facility with a lot of older adults who had Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, so this generation means a lot to me,” said the Stockton University Doctor of Physical Therapy student.

And she loves being outside, especially on a cloudless November morning with the temperature pushing 70 degrees.

Osburn and five of her classmates joined 71-year-old Absecon resident Ellen Parker during a recent meeting of the Intergenerational Garden Project at Stockton’s Farm. The project is part of a new initiative by the Stockton Center on Successful Aging (SCOSA) designed to bring students and older adults together through shared activities, meaningful conversations and hands-on learning.

“I love talking to people, and I love helping people do what they want to do, like gardening. This club is really important because it helps them do that,” said Osburn, who admitted she’s not very good at gardening.

Fortunately, Parker brought plenty of experience. A longtime former employee of Stockton's Richard E. Bjork Library, she also volunteers in the native garden at the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge.

She pulled out several garlic bulbs from a paper bag and began planting them in a series of prepared holes dug by Ron Hutchison, associate professor of Sustainability. Hutchison is conducting a three-year study to determine which garlic varieties grow best in New Jersey and how planting distances affect crop yields.

“I like doing anything physical because being a librarian for so many years I was on my feet, but it was very cerebral,” Parker said. “But this is great physical exercise for bending and stretching and keeping your joints fluid. I also really love the social aspect of this, which I think is really important.”

As they planted garlic, Parker asked the physical therapy students about their studies and the demands of their doctoral program.

“I really admire their tenacity when it comes to studying and being able to do this on top of all the pressure that they’re under,” she said. “I think it’s great for them, and this could release some pressure, I think.”

Connections like this are exactly what SCOSA Director Christine Ferri wants to create through SCOSA’s intergenerational programs.

“At a university, we have a captive audience of students exploring different career opportunities. And SCOSA serves hundreds of older adults every year through our grant-funded education, socialization, recreational and caregiver support programming. So, Stockton is a logical place to bring generations together,” Ferri said.

Ferri said the United States is an age-segregated society where outside of families, people don’t have many opportunities to spend time people from with different generations.

“We’re creating a place where that intergenerational contact happens. It’s an essential part of our mission statement,” she said.

SCOSA is also bringing generations together in the classroom through its Intergenerational Happiness Project, which explores emotional well-being through activities inspired by Gretchen Rubin's bestselling book, "The Happiness Project." Kerstin Maguire, who organizes and leads the sessions, said participants explore ways to find joy in everyday experiences, develop positive habits and reflect on their personal happiness.

In a recent session focused on paying attention to small moments, the class divided into three groups to solve a hypothetical murder based on a series of specific details similar to the board game “Clue.”

Senior Mike Palmadessi liked the hands-on activity — even though his group picked the wrong murderer — and hearing different perspectives from older adults such as BJ Adams, of Bass River Township.

“Aside from my grandparents, I wouldn’t speak to older adults that much,” said the Psychology major from Sea Bright. “I feel like older people have so many different experiences that we don’t have and interesting stories to tell.”

That interaction is a two-way street, said Adams, who worked for years as the director of the March of Dimes for South Jersey. She is an active participant in SCOSA programs and enjoys helping Stockton students when she can.

“I like spending time with them and where I can possibly help them to network and get closer to their careers,” she said. “It’s so exciting to watch this generation get to where they want to be. Students motivate me. They know much more than I do in the current times, and I like learning about that.”

Going forward, Ferri plans to continue the garden project and will work with Maguire next semester to create a book club about American icon Harriet Tubman. SCOSA received a $2,500 grant from the Mosaic Foundation, a nonprofit in Galloway, to support that project. The funding will be used to provide books and will host intergenerational discussions throughout Black History Month. SCOSA is also working to secure additional funding to support a trip to the Harriet Tubman Museum in Cape May.

“We have schools for kids. We have senior centers for older adults. We don’t have anywhere that’s created for diverse generations to spend time together. SCOSA is determined to create places and things for people to do together,” Ferri said.

— Story by Mark Melhorn, photos by Mark Melhorn and Abbigail Erbacher