Students Go to 'Prom' With Assisted Living Residents

Photo: Bridges resident Pat Shea dances with Elizabeth Blair, a sophomore from Chelmsford, during the “Senior Prom” that Nashoba Tech’s Health Assisting program held for residents of the assisted-living facility.

WESTFORD, MA - Residents of Bridges by EPOCH, an assisted-living facility in Westford, danced the night away with local students at Nashoba Valley Technical High School’s “Senior Prom."

The Hollywood-themed prom helped about 30 elderly residents suffering from Alzheimer's and other degrees of memory loss relive their youth.

The event is also a way for students in Nashoba Tech’s health assisting program get to know the Bridges residents better.

Students in the program already know the residents because they regularly visit Bridges to keep them company.

“It’s good to interact with each other in a different environment,” said Health Assisting Instructor Theresa Ristaino in a news release. “And it’s good for the residents to reminisce and remember the old days.”

The night was a success, with most residents hitting the dance floor partnered up with students; the group even formed a conga line at one point.

“The residents were looking forward to this so much,” Health Assisting Instructor Vicki-Ann Poulin said in the news release. “The girls went over to Bridges to help them get dressed for the prom, and at 8:30 most of them were already dressed and ready to go.”