Allison Blay Steve Blay 
Bridging Generations 

Do you want to be a better friend? This is a book about recovering the lost art of friendship.Bridging Generations: 52 Stories of Ageless Friendship contains transformative tales of companionship between nursing home residents and volunteers. Woven through the narratives are ten useful building blocks for forging bonds with people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. The stories offer compelling portraits of people such as: Annie Mae, who as a child defied her mother and cut a hole in her feed sack dress Hugh, who caught a rattlesnake with his shoelace to make $10 Nora and Bebo, whose birthday wishes were immediately granted Bob, the quadriplegic who went skydiving Moses, the first Black welder in North Florida Heartwarming, poignant, humorous, instructive, and inspiring, the stories will appeal to those who visit with or care for elders. More broadly, this is a book about forming friendships in unexpected ways. It testifies to the healing power of communication, music, laughter, celebrating, and just being present with someone. Come discover the power of ageless friendship! "Three cheers for Steve and Allison Blay and their new book, Bridging Generations, a practical and inspiring guidebook for nurturing friendships with older adults."-Missy Buchanan, speaker and author of From Dry Bones to Living Hope "Everyone needs a friend. With over 50 stories of courage, determination, and humor, Bridging Generations, a top-notch book by Steve and Allison Blay, has golden nuggets for everyone wanting to develop communication skills and meaningful friendships." -M. Violet Asmuth, Ph.D., Communication Studies