At the dinner table, younger generations find entertainment in their phones–a disparity between the generational gap with older generations. Now, a Bexley counselor has reinvented conversation through what he calls “The Young at Heart Program.”
Dr. Melman Ahrens, a relationship counselor with over twenty years of experience, is offering a brand-new course on how families can reignite their love for each other through engaging conversation and thoughtful gestures.
Ahrens, a 1988 graduate from the university, just finished obtaining his master’s degree at The Ohio State University (OSU), with a focus in conversation starters and social media.
“I was able to learn a lot by getting hands-on experience around the OSU bar scene,” said Ahrens. “I cannot wait to give back to my community and share what I’ve learned.”
With Easter break approaching, Ahrens is offering various workshops to help the community “skip the small talk.”
His next workshop in the series, “Have You Seen ‘Severance?’” offers senior citizens an opportunity to connect with Gen-Z.
“Nowadays, this generation is concerned about newer, modern and more important things,” Ahrens said. “Right now, we’re out with ‘The Crucible’ and in with ‘Invincible.’”
Ahrens’ new wizardry in communication has left the Bexley community in shock, as he quickly rose in becoming the highest-requested counselor in Ohio.
One Bexley High School student said he was amazed by what his grandma learned from Ahrens.
“I was starting to get really sick and tired of my grandma trying to tell me about family history,” he said. “I was really surprised when she asked me what I thought about the new Playboi Carti album.”
Ahrens said the results he has seen from the program emphasize the importance of media literacy.
“One patient came to me about trying to help his grandson during the transitional period between high school and college,” Ahrens said. “After only two sessions, he went from quoting ‘Catcher in the Rye’ to quoting lyrics from ‘2014 Forest Hills Drive.’”
Another Bexley student said his grandfather’s initiative to connect with him resonated with him, so they decided to start seeing Ahrens together.
“I started playing tennis at school, so my grandfather went out and got me a copy of ‘Challengers’ on DVD because it reminded him of me,” the student said. “It’s on Amazon Prime though, so I returned the thought by exchanging it at Walmart for a copy of ‘Apocalypse Now.’ I would’ve never thought of that without taking one of Dr. Ahrens’ sessions.”
Bexley’s mayor Adam West praised Ahrens’ methods, claiming they were “genius.”
“It has been amazing to see these generations bond over their interests,” West said. “The synthesis of old and new is an ingenious innovation.”
According to the National Institute of Health, positive relationships between grandparents and grandchildren help promote the well-being of the grandchild.
“My hope for this project is to expand beyond the borders of Bexley,” Ahrens said. “I think the goal is to expand the reach to low-income households who don’t usually bond with their grandparents.”
When presented with data from the 2021 Census that stated that 8.0% of children under 18 live with their grandparents, Ahrens offered a brand-new perspective:
“What percentage of those households have watched ‘Severance?’”
