A children’s nursery has opened in a residential home for the elderly in Wandsworth. Samantha Laurie explores the benefits
Earlier this summer Channel 4 ran an experiment: how would it be if a bunch of four-year-olds ‘moved in’ to a residential retirement home for six weeks? The answer made for some emotional telly; kids and elderly folk sharing activities, playing and laughing together not only had a positive effect on the residents’ health and happiness but it led to many genuinely moving cross-generational friendships.
Now, it’s happening in reality in the UK for the first time, as Nightingale House, home to 200 elderly Jewish men and ladies in Wandsworth, opens its doors to 30 pre-schoolers from a new nursery permanently located in the grounds. Each day, young and old come together for activities like gardening, cooking or pet handling. For those with poor mobility or dementia, there are sensory activities, and for the more able, tea parties and picnics and storytelling. The children visit the home for an activity at least once a week.
“The benefits are huge for both,” says Judith Ish-Horowicz, principal of Apple and Honey Nightingale Nursery, who has been planning the venture fortwo years.
“Whenever we visited the home with children we noticed how much more sensitive and mature they are when they are interacting with elderly people with hearing or mobility issues. Many children don’t have extended families nearby and residents say what a lovely atmosphere it is when the youngsters are around, how rejuvenating it is.”
For years Judith took children from her Wimbledon nursery, Apples and Honey Wimbledon, to visit their local care home.
“Some families enjoyed the relationships so much they ‘adopted’ grandmas and grandads, many became regular volunteers. We looked around and said ‘Why don’t we do this every day?’”
Co-location is common practice in the US, Canada and Australia where benefits are well recognized, with studies showing how it helps children’s language and development as well as tackling loneliness of ageing.
The new nursery, which opened in September, is Jewish but welcomes children of all faiths (or none) and is a non-profitmaking venture, offering full daycare 50 weeks a year. Six places are reserved for care home staff, a big incentive in an industry that struggles with retention, and a neat illustration of how the benefits of shared care might reach beyond the social.
Oldies & Tots
Another faith-led initiative to bridge ‘age apartheid’ comes from Tara Baker who launched Oldies & Tots in Godalming last year, where a playgroup visits local care homes to sing, make crafts and play games with the residents.
As a member of the Hillsong Church Guildford, Tara had previously taken her children to local homes at Easter and Christmas, but wanted to establish a more regular connection. Her group now meets every two weeks at Broadwater Lodge and Eastlake care homes.
“We have been deeply touched by some of the moments we have seen and shared. One lady who has severe Alzheimer’s and is completely unresponsive was included in a game of catch and encouraged, ever so gently by my two-year-old son. He placed the ball in her hands and she just managed, with great effort, to roll it back. She looked into his face and smiled.”
And the kids benefit too.
“My son is pretty boisterous normally but he’s really gentle and patient around the residents, and it’s given him a real confidence out and about talking to older people on the street.”
- oldiesandtots@gmail.com
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