Eden Alternative Tip of the Week: The Magic of Children & Elders

In his book, Life Worth Living, Dr. William Thomas speaks to the incredible opportunity that those who provide home for the Elders have to connect with their community's children in a manner that brings growth for the children and the Elders. "Nursing home residents are isolated from their communities because of age and capabilities. Children are removed from the life of the community for the same reasons. Within the nursing home, administrators seek to boost efficiency by sorting and grouping residents with similar problems. Likewise, the grade system is often more about administration than education. To the extent that the lives of residents and children are defined by their respective institutions, we have failed in the primary mission of educating the young and caring for the old."

"Children ... are good for older people. The hubbub they so naturally create injects vitality into any environment. Their play, laughter and song are potent medicines for the elderly. The oceans of time and painful need for companionship that most residents possess become assets to children who become a part of daily life in the nursing home. Among older people, nursing home residents have the greatest need for a connection with children, but they are least likely to have access to them."

It is not enough to have local children come in to entertain the Elders or create a craft project periodically. As one of the elements of the Human Habitat, children need to be an important part of the Elders' daily lives and both must be able to grow because of that connection. Some examples of how homes have taken steps to truly weave children into the daily lives of the Elders include:

• On-site day care centers where the children spend time with the Elders and the Elders come in to help care for the children
• Kindergarten classes in the home where the Elders help tutor the children through reading, listening, writing and shared art and science projects.
• Before and after school programs where the school bus picks up and drops off children throughout the day
• Elders helping in the classrooms of local schools
• Elders teaching classes at local community colleges
• Youth coming in regularly to capture the Elders' legacies

This list goes on and on, but the common theme is that the Elders and children find connection and common purpose together. That is how the Elders find the antidotes they need for the Three Plagues and the children get the social and life skills they need to be successful. One of the Alliances for the Eden Alternative is the Macklin Intergenerational Institute. They have a wonderful approach to bringing Elders and children together in a meaningful way. Check out this power point that explains how they accomplish this.

If you would like to bring children into your Human Habitat in a more meaningful way, connect with the Macklin Intergenerational Institute and learn more about how they can assist you on your journey.