Spreading Christmas Joy in Aged Care

This week Bolton Clarke Carrington has once again celebrated the end of their ‘Nanny and Poppy’ program for the year with a Christmas concert. 

Each year the residential aged care site partners with the local kindergarten to hold ‘Nanny and Poppy’ days where children and residents participate in shared activities which creates a common ground for children, carers, residents and their families to engage in and build reciprocal and genuine friendships.

The program has been running at the community for over ten years now and has seen exceptionally positive results.

“The interaction between the children and the residents is marvellous, they love each other’s company,” said Residential Manager, Ian Edwards.

“The residents’ faces absolutely light up when the children come in, they enjoy the intergenerational connection. Some of the children might not have grandparents and it’s also a good opportunity for them to spend some time around older people.

“We are able to utilise each other’s facilities, share resources and just by spending time together, both the children and the elderly have a valuable opportunity to experience things they would not otherwise have.”

To celebrate the end of the year the site throws a Christmas concert where both children and residents dress up and enjoy a themed morning tea.

Afterwards the children perform carols for the residents including ‘Jingle Bells’, ‘Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer’ and ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’. Residents can be seen singing and clapping along with the children as they sing.

The whole site then has to sing ‘Jingle Bells’ as loudly as they can in the hopes that Santa arrives. Nearly raising the roof the big man in red appears and thirty children can no longer be controlled.

However it’s not just the children who enjoy seeing Santa, the residents love to see the children’s reactions and meet him too.

As the children finish kindergarten and move forward into prep next year there will be a new class for the residents to befriend next year. 

Find out more about Bolton Clarke. 

Pictured: Father Christmas Volunteer David Johnston, Resident Alice Carningham, Activities Officers Margaret Aukett, Kimberley Parmenter and Mrs Claus Tristesse August.