By Tim Tedeschi
April 15, 2024

When University of Cincinnati student Mallika Desai was in middle school, she began volunteering at a retirement home after her parents encouraged her to get more involved in her Miamisburg, Ohio community.
“At that point I was very introverted, and working with an elderly population was a challenge at first,” recalled Desai, a University of Cincinnati third-year student. “However, once I started going, I really found that there were residents who took me under their wing, and I started to feel more at home there.”
Specifically, Desai connected with one resident, Ruth, who was outgoing, boisterous and lit up every room she walked into. But as Desai continued to open up and connect with the residents, Ruth started to isolate herself, frustrated as symptoms of Parkinson’s disease affected her daily routines...See More about the student-led nonprofit