There's something special about intergenerational relationships, and their benefits can be seen firsthand in Manheim. For the third year, Pleasant View Communities has welcomed students who are part of the OneLife program to campus. The unique partnership has brought out the best in both the young adults and the seniors.

"As seniors age, there's a perceived loss of value," said Pleasant View chief executive officer Jonathan Hollinger. "They still have so much to give and offer in their wisdom. At the same time, young men and women who have just graduated from high school are also in a season of change and experiencing a little bit of loss as well. These two generations need intentionality and space to be heard."

Designed as a nine-month Christian gap year program, OneLife provides experiential learning opportunities to high school graduates, explained Josh Beers, president of OneLife. Students earn 27 to 30 college credits, the equivalent to one year in college, during the program.

"Our learning environment is primarily in the laboratory setting, not in the lecture hall," Beers explained. At Pleasant View, students can explore career paths including senior living, facility management, health care, hospitality, ministry and more. There are four locations of OneLife throughout the country - in Morris, Pa.; West Virginia; South Carolina; and Manheim. More than 100 students are currently in the program with 27 enrolled at the Pleasant View campus.

OneLife began at Pleasant View in 2021. "We faced some initial skepticism," Beers recalled, noting that the ongoing pandemic caused some people to question the program as well as the fact that an intergenerational program hadn't been done before through OneLife. "Over the past few years, the intended purpose behind the intergenerational relationship has come to fruition, and we've seen great engagement from the residents of Pleasant View and our students."

OneLife students live in a dedicated space on the Pleasant View campus, but they interact with residents campuswide. They also have opportunities for service projects and take mission trips outside of Pennsylvania.

Students are paired with a PV Pal, a resident or staff member who serves as a mentor, helping to continue to bridge the gap between the generations.

Hollinger said the partnership has been a positive experience for everyone involved. "Sometimes, it's hard for young adults to connect with their own parents or grandparents, but they are willing to listen to the wisdom of other elders, and we've seen that firsthand," he said. "It's been wonderful to see the impact a senior can have on a young person."

And that impact has been reciprocal, he noted, recalling an interaction with a resident who served as a PV Pal last year. "He came up to me and thanked me for arranging the program and allowing it to happen," Hollinger said. "I asked him, 'Do you plan on doing this again next year?' and he looked me straight in the eye and said, 'Try to stop me.'"