Intergenerational Visit Brings Joy to Young and Old

Jacaranda children (aged 3-5) from Hyde Park Nursery School and Early Learning Centre (ELC) are bringing joy to residents living at Resthaven Malvern with their weekly visits to the home at 43 Marlborough Street, Malvern.

Hyde Park ELC Educator, Renee Moxham, says, "The visits to Resthaven began in February 2019, and have become a highlight of the children’s week."

"From the feedback we receive from the home, we think the residents feel the same!"

"The children and residents enjoy all sorts of activities together each week, including reading, drawing, art and craft, and spending time outside in the courtyard gardens."

Comments from the children are suitably adorable, and include:

"We were reading books to the ladies and the ladies helped us with the words."

"I love playing with the old people."

"I felt happy seeing all the old people."

"They have walking sticks when they walk."

Resthaven Lifestyle Coordinator, Felicity Billing, who facilitates the visits, says, "The kindy kids bring out everyone’s inner child, it’s beautiful to see."

"Residents get down on the floor and read books with the children, they sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star together."

"It just goes to show that some pleasures in life never get old."

"We hope to continue this intergenerational partnership for a long time to come."

Resthaven Malvern is just one of Resthaven’s twelve residential care homes across metropolitan Adelaide, Murray Bridge, Port Elliot and Mount Gambier. Resthaven also supports older people living independently in their own homes through our community services sites, located throughout metropolitan Adelaide, Murraylands, Fleurieu, Riverland and Limestone Coast.