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If we look into the word “intergenerational” the dictionary definition of this is: 

"relating to, involving, or affecting several generations"

And for me the stand out word in this is several 

In recent years the popular TV series “Care Home for 4 Year Olds” has highlighted the magic that can happen when you put young children into the same space as people usually of their grandparents age.

Generations are more focussed on now, and we  find ourselves “named” in a generational generalisation with people who were born in a 10-15 year age range to ourselves.   I have begun to wonder how it can be possible that so many people can be lumped into a “box” or “named group” based purely on the date they were born,

No two people are the same and the life experience of each person makes their contribution to the world unique and amazing.

So with this in mind I wanted to get involved in “Intergenerational Week 2021” and look at some of the things Holmes Care Group have done to create Intergenerational activities within our homes and look to the future of this fascinating area

 We have a wide range of visitors within our homes all of different age groups, from nursery children, to primary, secondary and college/university students along with all of our residents family and friends from varying age groups.

Purpose and meaning should be at the centre of every activity that is organised, It is lovely to have children come in and sing or dance as entertainment for our residents but it’s vitally important for there to be a chance for our residents to interact too. This will happen organically but initially is needed to be steered.

In Craigielea Care Home in Renfrew, when nursery children visited we noticed that the children often became overwhelmed and sometimes timid  so we stepped in and  guided the interaction by having a “buddy system” in which each child had a resident “buddy”. This meant that on a weekly basis when the children visited they knew who they were visiting and developed a friendship together with their resident buddy. This was so beautiful to watch and developed over time with children even visiting after they left nursery and moved onto school, bringing in their siblings and parents and creating a lovely family friendship that lasts long after the initial activity is undertaken.

In Larkfield View Care Home in Greenock we have  utilised a large lounge are to host a children’s art/messy play group called ARTventurers, which takes place once a week, . This has given residents something to look forward to, allowing a community connection with local children and their parents and in turn supporting a group which may otherwise have struggled to find a location for their classes. Again the repetition of this and the interactive nature of the activities has created some wonderful moments between multiple generations.

At Almond Court Care Home in Drumchapel after multiple days out to a local children’s nursery one of our residents now volunteers as a Play Worker on a weekly basis. The connection this resident has found with so many of the younger children has been beautiful for family & friends to watch.   

As well as younger children our homes interact with primary and secondary aged children frequently. Relationships built over time with local schools offer a wealth of opportunity for interaction and learning from both parties. Our residents have helped developed school children’s learning about key historical moments they have personally lived through as well as offering insights into how technology has developed over the years..

We have been able to see these situations  unfold so beautifully on their own, which shows us that opportunity is the only effort required on our parts. By creating  the opportunities  the magic will happen.

Numerous student placements take place throughout our care homes, it is without a doubt the most valuable part of any course to experience the reality for yourself, and be able to see your learning in practice. We have had many students come through our doors and again the interaction between generations is – after some shy timid introductions – natural and flowing. This allows students to learn how their skills are put into practice and to really see why we are called “social care” rather than “health care”. The biggest difference being that without social skills, interactions and relationship building we cannot do our jobs well.

Many of the students we have had on placement have gone on to work in our homes which is a lovely transition for both parties.

However, as I said at the beginning, generational interactions shouldn’t simply be viewed as “children” and “elderly” as there are many generations between.

Care Homes are – at their centre focus – a resident’s HOME and in that respect should be as open for visitors and family as any house would be. Our homes do our upmost to involve families in life at the care home with free visiting times celebrations for birthdays and special events (such as anniversary dinners, large gatherings, fun days, and we have even had brides coming in their wedding gowns to be “walked down the corridor” by a doting Grandfather who couldn’t make it to the actual wedding!”)

Holmes Care Group strives to lead on intergenerational activity as much as possible

We pride ourselves in what we do. Thinking outside the box and creating experiences for all involved and as our company motto says….. Enriching Lives