Students visit aged care facility in Daceyville as show takes off
Following the popularity of heartwarming ABC documentary series Old People’s Home for 4 Year Olds, a star of the show and doctor at Prince of Wales Hospital hopes more intergenerational activities will be rolled out in aged care facilities.
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Following the popularity of heartwarming ABC documentary series Old People’s Home for 4 Year Olds, a star of the show and doctor at Prince of Wales Hospital hopes more intergenerational activities will be rolled out in aged care facilities.
Geriatrician Stephanie Ward features in the series — airing on Tuesday nights at 8.30pm — which examines how four-year-olds can positively influence the lives of elderly residents in aged-care homes.
She said the show, which has been adapted from a UK series of the same name, had helped highlight the positive impact intergenerational activities can have in aged care facilities.
“I think the show, and the popularity of it, is spurring on an appetite in the general community to see young people visiting residents of aged care facilities across the board.
Dr Ward works in the Prince of Wales Hospital’s Geriatric Medicine Outreach Service and often visits aged care facilities across the hospital’s catchment area.
During a recent visit to Southern Cross Care’s Daceyville Nursing Home, Dr Ward was joined by Year 5 students from nearby St Michael’s Primary School who regularly visit the residents.
“We’re seeing that there are already pockets where regular visits from children are a common occurrence at some aged care facilities. The benefits to everyone are enormous,” she said.
“It’s really exciting to see the idea of intergenerational contact really taking off.”
Students at St Andrew's Catholic Primary School Malabar also visit the nursing home.
Southern Cross Care Daceyville Nursing Home lifestyle co-ordinator Alicia Spies said the visits from the children made a huge difference to residents.
“We have some people here who unfortunately don’t get to have many or sometimes any visitors, so the children coming in gives them a real lift, it gives them a purpose and meaning and so that’s just so powerful.”
A resident at the nursing home, Bella Tsadikova, 92, said the visits from the children were wonderful.
“I like to just watch them and I love talking to them about everything.
“They love to hear our stories and that makes us feel important. We still have good advice to give too for young people growing up.”
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