Future Victoria: Kindergartens, retirement villages could be built side-by-side to connect generations
Forget occasional “play dates” at old folks’ homes — experts say building kindergartens and retirement villages side-by-side would bring a host of benefits for both young and old.
Future Victoria
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Kindergartens could be built alongside retirement villages to boost learning and engagement between young and old.
Youngsters are already visiting aged care homes each week as part of a program aimed at fostering socially conscious kids.
Research shows huge benefits in connecting the generations.
Social sciences researcher Prof Lisa Kervin, examining the benefits of linking children aged under six with the elderly through playgroups, said she “would love to see retirement homes and early learning centres coexisting, side-by-side”.
Prof Kervin’s research will determine the benefits to all generations — including the children’s parents.
Observations of a disconnect between the generations have spurred the University of Wollongong analysis as modern-day families grow apart and technology creates barriers to building relationships.
“It’s the early years that are so critical for the development of a child so we know this could set them up for the rest of their lives,” Prof Kervin said.
“(It could foster) relationship building, empathy, and just understanding of how society works.”
Gowrie Victoria manager of the Carlton North centre, Alistair Gibbs, said community work had become an important part of its early years education.
Every week up to eight children from the centre visit Australian Unity Rathdowne Place Aged Care in Carlton.
Once a month, elderly residents jump on a bus and visit the children at their Carlton North centre, to read stories, talk and play.
Recently, children and residents painted rocks together to give the village’s garden a boost of colour.
“For the children, it exposes them to different people,” Mr Gibbs said.
“It allows them to build their social and emotional development — you start to build on the foundation of empathy and respect.
“’It goes a lot further beyond building with blocks and engaging with your peers.
“The social interactions are quite profound.”
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Mum Sarah Anderson said when her son Louis, 4, returns home from visits a the retirement village with Gowrie Victoria in Carlton North, he asks all sorts of questions.
After a recent trip, he quizzed her: “Why are older people’s skin so wrinkly and why is it different to mine?”
“What I really like about it is it’s putting the community piece at the front of their education — it’s part of their learning, to be a person in the community,” Ms Anderson said.
“I’d love to see childcare centres built alongside retirement villages.
“I think (that relationship) sparks conversations about issues we wouldn’t otherwise talk about, and it allows him to learn.”
Education Minister James Merlino said: “So many Victorian kindergartens are doing great things – like this program – to expand the minds of their youngest students.”
“Early childhood education gets kids ready for life. It gives them the building blocks for how to learn and how to create friendships,’’ he said.
“That’s why we are investing nearly $5 billion over the next 10 years to deliver three-year-old kindergarten for all Victorian children.”