I set up Guided Learning with a view to providing my students, young and old, with an insight into a more fulfilled and purposeful life.” – Kamal Magecha.
During recent months, amid the COVID-19 lockdown, residents at the Residential Dementia and Nursing care home based in Larchwood Gardens, Pilgrims Hatch, have been enjoying regular Facetime and Skype sessions with their families and loved ones. Usually, at this time of year, residents and staff would be busy enjoying visits out into their local community as well as visits from local performers, community groups and Hopscotch Nursery, a children’s nursery who are part of the home’s intergenerational commitment.
The existing intergenerational partnership with Hopscotch Nursery has been hugely successful over the last 18 months, resulting in many rewarding benefits for all, and so the team wanted to add to this. Activities Co-ordinator Alison shared the benefits residents receive from such great intergenerational local community links (none of which have faltered despite the current pandemic), “Seeing how much enjoyment our residents get when we FaceTime with the children from the local nursery is always so heart-warming and gives us such a massive morale boast – it’s a talking point for weeks afterwards. I have found on many occasions whilst doing the activities, residents will refer back to experiences they have seen and talked about with the children during their regular FaceTime visits”.
In addition, for residents without close family or friends, the prospect of an initiative that could create lasting and meaningful friendships and would bring so much happiness and comfort to them was something the team were keen to bring into reality as quickly as possible.
In order to put the wheels in motion, Brentwood Care Centre reached out to their local community and, through the home’s links, were put in touch with the specialist personalised training and tutoring service for adults and children, Guided Learning. The partnership between the home and tutoring service would see children who are using the guided learning service link up with residents at the home and become pen pals. Initially, they will be pen pals through the summer months, with plans for the exchanges to continue onwards thereafter.
“We are excited to facilitate new friendships between our residents and Guided Learning students.”- Torie Pollard.
Research into Mental and Emotional well-being has highlighted that people with a greater sense of well-being, purpose and fulfilment achieve more. I believe that creating a connection with the elderly will allow our young people to create a connection, whilst helping them to raise their written communication skills and lead to a greater sense of well-being. It will help shift some of their focus to others and begin their journey into a more fulfilled and purposeful life.”
Brentwood’s Home Manager Torie Pollard underpinned the home’s commitment to their intergenerational strategy and the benefits she hopes the partnership will bring, “At a time when communication is so very important, this intergenerational project will provide stimulation to residents whilst helping students to build confidence and literacy skills.”