Would you join a club that offers swimming lessons, music appreciation classes and the opportunity to go to prom? You’ll have to wait a few decades to join. Blakeford is a premier senior living community located in the Green Hills neighborhood that provides a variety of services and places emphasis on a holistic approach to senior citizen care. Given its close location, numerous residents are former Commodores themselves. 

 Blakeford’s unique approach to senior care includes the company hosting all their services on one centrally located campus. From rehab services to memory care, the only aspect that does not fit on the campus is their LiveWell at Home program, in which they provide support to enable seniors to live independently.  

Katelyn Morales, Blakeford’s WellLife Manager, has a passion for connecting Vanderbilt students with the Blakeford residents. She knows how much Vanderbilt students have to offer, as well as how much they can gain from interacting with the seniors. Morales’s own experience speaks to this rich exchange. 

While Morales initially went to school for nursing, she changed her studies to focus on health science and allied health. During the pandemic, she pivoted to care for retirees and has never looked back. She looks at senior care as a calling that has impacted her own life, and she can clearly see the positive effects of her work. 

From creating new initiatives to interacting with residents, Morales is never bored on the job. She highlights the unique events Blakeford holds for residents, including her personal favorite of a “senior prom.” The most recent prom was “Mamma Mia” themed and included the coronation of two of the residents as the prom king and queen. 

For a long time, many of Blakeford’s residents — lots of whom are Vanderbilt alumni — were born and raised in Nashville. Recently, a growing portion of the residents are people who have moved to Nashville later in life.  Morales describes the residents as a highly educated population who deeply value education and appreciate all that Vanderbilt does and represents. The seniors also hold a strong appreciation for Vanderbilt in the medical sense, feeling comfort and confidence in the fact that their treatment will come from Vanderbilt’s highly regarded medical system. 

With everything that these senior citizens at Blakeford have going for them, what else could they possibly need? You! Vanderbilt students are currently volunteering at Blakeford in everyday ways or in more specific instances that showcase their individual strengths and talents. For example, Vanderbilt student Cindy Ho works closely with the aquatics program to provide guidance for lap swimming.  

While it is a common misconception that senior facilities only need students pursuing nursing and the medical profession as volunteers, Morales emphasized their desire for students from all backgrounds, from IT to culinary and everything in between. When speaking with Morales about student volunteering at Blakeford, she spoke about her understanding of the time constraints of busy college students.  

“It’s one of those fields that is just so captivating,” said Morales. She quickly saw the difference made in the lives of those at Blakeford through the emphasis on the mutual learning experience and growth that occurs between seniors and volunteers or those on staff. Spending time with the residents can blossom into a unique mentorship relationship, in which the seniors may feel like they have a sort of grandchild relationship with the volunteers through meaningful conversations.  

Whether you’re looking to give back to the Nashville community, hoping to form impactful relationships with former Commodores, or seeking to teach seniors a new skill, Blakeford and its clients would love to have you.