A classical guitar student is the first participant in the “Artist-in-Residence” program at Springwell Senior Living, Baltimore, the community reports on its website. The new program offers accommodations to a local artist, who entertains and interacts with residents.

Julien Xuereb, 26, a graduate student at the Peabody Institute, plays guitar for the resident every day and performs privately for some residents in their rooms, at happy hours and once a month with other entertainers. “Our residents are gaining tremendous personal enjoyment by listening to him play guitar, and also by building personal relationships with him,” Springwell Senior Living Director Phil Golden says. “The more he performs, the more people are interested in learning about him and hearing him play. His music is bringing a lot of joy to a lot of people.”

Xuereb, who previously had entertained at local hospitals and cancer centers, says the program “creates a true ‘win-win’ because music adds a lot of happiness to people’s lives, and I have a job doing what I love most, while also being able to interact with the people who live here as my neighbors and friends. The fact that people believe in me enough to entertain others just inspires me to do more.”

Springwell hopes that residents’ physical and mental health will benefit from the program.