Twenty-eight percent of Americans over 65 live alone, and social isolation raises their mortality risk by 30%. In Syracuse, nearly a quarter of older women live alone, making isolation a widespread and often hidden issue. Two-Way Street follows Barb, a woman in her seventies who volunteers through Syracuse’s Senior Companion Program and leads peer-led exercise classes in her senior living complex. After moving to Syracuse alone, she struggled with loneliness, and a stroke left her feeling even more isolated. During recovery, she realized how much she needed support. As she put it, “I needed somebody to show up for me. I want to be that somebody for others.”
Her experience shows that companionship is not one-directional. When older adults teach and support one another, they gain purpose, mental engagement, and a renewed sense of connection. Peer-led models like Barb’s demonstrate how community involvement can directly counter the effects of isolation. My grandmother experienced this firsthand after losing her husband during the Khmer Rouge—isolation nearly consumed her until she found community at the pagoda. Her struggle opened my eyes to how human connection can mean the difference between withering and surviving.
Two-Way Street highlights both the reality of aging alone in Syracuse and the simple, consistent acts that keep older adults connected—showing how resilience grows when people show up for one another, week after week.
Senior Companion Program volunteer Barbara Genese spends time at home with her client, Brenda Nichols, watching TV after Brenda’s dialysis on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025, in Syracuse, N.Y. Barbara has been Brenda’s companion for the past two years.
Barbara holds Brenda’s hand as Brenda talks about how much fun they had together when they went out for dinner last week, on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025, in Syracuse, N.Y.
Barbara sits on Brenda’s couch as they chat about different topics on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025, in Syracuse, N.Y. Barbara moved to Syracuse from Connecticut three years ago and has always been involved in programs that support seniors. “I want someone to listen to them, to absorb what they’re saying, and to have compassion for them,” she said. “I want my voice to matter—because when we reach a certain age, the world moves past us, and our input no longer seems to count.”
Barb changes the clock for Brenda Nichols, on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025, in Syracuse, N.Y. Barbara has been Brenda’s companion for the past two years.
Brenda looks out the window as the rain begins to fall on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025, in Syracuse, N.Y. She says she can’t wait for winter. Brenda has been with Barb for the past two years and says Barb is one of the best things that has ever happened to her.
A reserved oxygen canister sits in the corner of Brenda’s apartment to assist her breathing on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025, in Syracuse, N.Y. Brenda loves winter, and her space is decorated with snow cones, Christmas toys, and figurines. Monday, Nov. 14, 2025, in Syracuse, N.Y.
Pill bottles located in Barb's kitchen on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025, at her home in Syracuse, N.Y. Despite having her own medical problem, Barb is still be there for her fellow seniors.
Photo frames in Barb’s living room display important people in her life and moments from her volunteer work with senior programs back in Connecticut on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025, in Syracuse, N.Y. “We are not sisters by blood, but we are sisters at heart,” she said.
Barbara sets up chairs in the community room of her senior living complex as she waits for residents to arrive for class on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025, in Syracuse, N.Y. The class runs every week for an hour and welcomes people of all ages and abilities.
The community room in Barb’s senior living complex serves multiple purposes—it’s used for game nights, movie nights, shared meals, and the exercise classes that Barb leads on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025, in Syracuse, N.Y.
Participants Colleen and Mary hold resistance bands as they follow Barbara’s guidance during her “Tone It Up” exercise class on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, in Syracuse, N.Y.
Mary exhales as she holds a resistance band during one of the exercises in the “Tone It Up” class on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, in Syracuse, N.Y. Mary is also one of the resident living in the same building as Barb.
Barb explains next activities to Cathy who has vision impairment during the exercise class on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, in Syracuse, N.Y. Cathy, who is blind, is eager to stay active.
Cathy holds on to a chair to keep her balance during the exercise class with Barb on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, in Syracuse, N.Y.
Dawn pauses to catch her breath during exercise class on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, in Syracuse, N.Y.
