Helping Hand keen to expand intergenerational activity
Intergenerational connections are known to be beneficial for everyone involved.
Students from Gleeson College, a Catholic school secondary school in Golden Grove, an outer northeastern suburb of Adelaide, visit nearby Helping Hand Aged Care on Fridays.
One child, who has largely been avoiding school, always comes for the meetings with the residents. A budding musician, Alex, has bonded with resident Jeff over music.
“This initiative, born from the vision on fostering meaningful connections across generations, has not only come to fruition but has flourished in ways we could only have hoped for,” Sally Parson, Personal Learning Plan (PLP) Coordinator, Gleeson College, said.
“This year, we’ve had two enthusiastic year 10 classes embarking on the journey to bridge the gap between generations, bringing joy and companionship to the residents of Helping Hand. Each session was carefully planned around themes such as getting to know each other, sharing games, exploring technology and reminiscing through photos. These activities were about building relationships and mutual learning that transcends age.”
Tanya McIver, Group Manager, Residential Services, Helping Hand, said it is a meaningful relationship with the secondary school.
“We believe in creating relationships that foster a better connection with clients, our teams, each other, and the community.
“This entire program, and its success, has been built around respectful partnerships. Everyone worked together to ensure the goals and outcomes for both Helping Hand and Gleeson College aligned. There was a real passion to make this a meaningful experience.”
