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The unexpected benefits of bringing care homes and nurseries together

2 October 2017

For twenty years, Judith Ish-Horowicz took children from her south London nursery school to visit the elderly residents of a care home.

Intergenerational activity is now at the heart of the Nightingale House

One day she had an epiphany.

‘It struck me, why are we doing this only occasionally? Everyone is enjoying this and it benefits us all’.

Judith’s plan became a reality in early September when the 200 elderly residents of Nightingale House in Wandsworth were joined by the first intake of children .

‘The residents love to watch the children running around, they like the movement. Being in a home is quite limiting, and it can get quite monotonous if you haven’t got the opportunity to go out and about because you have mobility issues yourself.’

While a UK first, this kind of intergenerational care isn’t a new idea.

Shimada Masaharu and the practice has spread to countries including the US, Australia, Canada and Singapore.

says the UK is one of the most age segregated countries in the world.

‘[It’s] particularly true for the oldest and youngest. They simply don't meet other age groups as much as perhaps they could do.’

There are huge benefits for older people in tackling social isolation and loneliness. But also the joy of seeing young children grow and develop.

Stephen Burke

‘For children, it's about their early learning, we see children growing socially and their language developing.’

Why is the UK so age segregated?

‘A lot of our activities are very segregated by age, whether it's care home and nurseries or the type of housing we live in.’

‘A lot of our communities are very segregated by age, simply down to the housing.’

‘And a lot of our social activities are very focused on one way age; increasingly pubs are much more age segregated than they used to be.’

How much have you thought about your old age? Is it time to overhaul our current approach to ageing and do something different? Gillian Russell explores how we can go about creating a healthier, happier old age 鈥� for ourselves and those around us.

大象传媒 News visited the joint site for children and elderly residents back in July.
Here鈥檚 a solution that could tackle two of the West鈥檚 most urgent problems: a young generation priced out of affordable housing, and the loneliness and isolation of a rapidly ageing population.

Stephen Burke says he is watching the progress of a news scheme in Kilwinning, North Ayrshire.

Little Deers Nursery believes its scheme is a first in Scotland

‘Buckreddan Care Centre actually shares a site with Little Deers Nursery. But until recently there was very little regular interaction. They've now started a regular programme called Crocs and Tots which is actually bringing the older people together with the children on a regular basis.’

Nursery manager Doreen Hearshaw was thrilled with the initial results of the scheme.

‘I did expect there to be lots of interaction with the children from the residents, Agnes, Cathy and Delia but this went way beyond my wildest dreams. It was absolutely amazing to watch the children welcome the ladies into the room. They played, read and sang with the children and also joined in for morning snack.’

‘We were all bowled over by the children and the ladies and the amazing interaction and smiles that were oh so visible this morning.’