Once a week, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine student Sai Chandan Reddy met 95-year-old James for dinner and a visit. Reddy volunteers at Lori’s Hands, a nonprofit organization that fosters mutually beneficial relationships between community members with chronic illness and college students. Students provide practical assistance to support the community members’ independence at home, and the community members share their health and life experiences to support the students’ learning.

“During these dinners, I would share my experience with being a first-year medical student, and James would try to provide various anecdotes from his life to advise me on navigating certain challenges in my own life,” Reddy says. “James was an excellent storyteller, and he could vividly describe his life, the world around him and the characters within it. He spoke with such charisma, and I knew that with years of reflection, he had reached a resolution with himself and peace with how his incredible life had unfolded. It was during these dinner talks that I really felt like we became friends, and I was no longer just a volunteer.”

Maddie Hagerty, manager of Lori’s Hands Baltimore chapter, says volunteering with Lori’s Hands helps students get to know Baltimore’s community members beyond the hospital walls.

“Often, they create long, lasting friendships,” Hagerty says. “Many of our clients are living alone and need companionship. For many of our clients, the students also assist with grocery shopping or resource-finding.”

Reddy became interested in volunteering with Lori’s Hands after learning about the opportunity during orientation. This year, the experience earned him a Lori’s Hands Scholarship.

Reddy began visiting James in his Baltimore home in September 2023. James was in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. While James was self-sufficient, Reddy was able to provide companionship, help him fix his laptop and lift things around the house.

“He was so easy to talk to,” says Reddy. “He was so warm and loved to share his stories. I got to see firsthand how he navigated his condition. It’s easy to learn about it from a textbook, but I’ve found it so valuable to experience it in real life. You see the person behind the disease.”

First-year medical student Alyssa Arbuiso, who also volunteers with Lori’s Hands, had the opportunity to work with James as well.

“My favorite memories of James are too plentiful to count,” Arbuiso says. “He went through really hard things, but when he would tell stories to us, James always focused on the positive, even when he was sick and in the hospital.”

Arbuiso says James grew up during the Great Depression, and proudly served his country in World War II. He also worked diligently at Bethlehem Steel Corporation, volunteered in his community, taught math to students in Baltimore and gave an infinite amount of love and support to family and friends. James died in the spring of 2024.

“James found so much joy everywhere, even in simple things like Western movies, graham crackers and McDonald’s cheeseburgers,” Arbuiso says. “I loved speaking with him about our shared love for Nat King Cole and the Lindy Hop. He was a rare, generous friend, gentleman and a great loss to our community.”

While Arbuiso says medical school can be stressful, volunteering with Lori’s Hands has brightened her life.

“It’s the happiest day of my week,” she says. “It reminds me what’s so good about humanity. I look forward to it, and it feels like I have another friend in the community.”

Arbuiso also helped Lori’s Hands by compiling a list of community resources for the clients. The list is now included on their website, making the information more accessible to volunteers and clients.

“You learn what the community needs from listening,” Arbuiso says. “They tell you what they need and what their values are. Volunteering with Lori’s Hands is not just a singular interaction; it’s promoting long-term well-being for our clients. I’ve learned that, sometimes, a person needs conversation just as much as a higher dose of a pill.”

James’ caregiver and niece, Pam, says the students provided true, heartfelt care for her uncle.

“It was wonderful for my uncle to have company and have someone to tell stories to,” Pam says. “They also helped catch things we didn’t notice.”

After James’ hospitalization, Reddy visited him in a rehabilitation center. Because he was familiar with James’ personality and routine, Reddy noticed that he wasn’t responding normally. Reddy reached out to Pam, and when she saw James, Pam confirmed that he was not in the proper medical condition. Thanks to Reddy’s relationship with James, they were able to alert the rehab personnel.

“Sai and Alyssa were an emotional support and gave me that extra helping hand while my uncle was sick and declining,” Pam says. “They were a great help to me. They not only helped James, they helped our family.”

To volunteer for Lori’s Hands, visit lorishands.org/students.