FOSTERING INTERGENERATIONAL CONNECTIONS AT YOUR COMMUNITY


representatives, civic planners, different mu- nicipal departments, health care providers, as well as veterans, arts, culture, and also the schools. All the parts of the community need to talk to each other,” he said. By casting a wide net across local re-


sources, he suggested, senior living leaders may find opportunities they might other- wise miss. Another advantage of drawing from within the nearby community: Such partnerships are more likely to last for the long haul. “Sometimes senior housing staff feels like


the burden to do this is all on them, but if you can mix and match resident needs with the local resources, you often will get what you need right in the community,” Henkin said. One you’ve surveyed the local landscape,


give a hard push. “You have to be proac- tive and not wait for the schools or clubs to reach out. You are doing this as a service for the resident, you are their voice, and so the executive directors need to take it upon themselves to seek out these opportunities,” Stephenitch said. “The schools do reach out to us, but maybe it’s once a year. If we want it to be more frequent, we need to be the ones asking, and the more we ask the more opportunities we will get for our residents.” With the right partner in place, senior


living needs to recognize some of the finer points of programming.


Recipe for success Experts agree that intergenerational efforts are most effective when they extend out over time.


“You can have a successful one-time pro-


gram, but the most successful programs are the ones that are sustained year after year,” Fuccione said. “A community garden for instance is something the older adults can take part in over a long period and it repeats each year. Then you have a tradition of in- tergenerational activity that is embedded in community life. That’s really the ideal: to be intergenerational without really thinking about it. It should be organic.” Co-location is of course the ultimate ex-


pression of this ideal. “There are opportuni- ties that come about naturally just through physical proximity, whether it’s volunteer opportunities or just regular social engage- ments,” Fuccione said. While not every senior community can have child care on site, some can reap similar benefits by team- ing with the school down the block or some other very nearby institution. Ongoing programming allows for the


growth of true interpersonal bonds. “This is not just young people doing chores for older people or older people teaching a skill,” Henkin said. “It’s about fostering trust and building empathy. Trust comes when there are ongoing sustained interactions. It can’t just be once a year. If we are going to be sensitive to one another’s needs, we need to get to know each other over time. Relationship-building is a process.” Just as frequency matters, so does the


content of the program. “If it’s something where they are just sitting and watching, you will start to lose everybody after 10 or 15


minutes. You want someone to bring out props or have a chance for the children to get up and move around,” Schumann said. “Interaction is a huge part of this.” Think about the timing and the pacing.


“If you’re going to make smoothies but only one child at a time can do it and the other 12 toddlers have to stand and wait, that won’t work,” Schumann said. Content should likewise be tailored to adults’ inter- ests. “The staff knows that John is really in- terested in cars, so if you are painting model cars for the county fair, he will want to be involved in that. There are some who really love art and others who don’t want to paint and don’t want to be part of that. The staff needs to be sensitive to that.” It isn’t easy to make all the parts fit to-


gether, to find ongoing activities that excite both kids and adults. You may meet other hurdles too, such as nursing staff who worry that kids bring germs; additional training needed to facilitate these encounters; and the management of transportation and other logistics. In spite of all such concerns, advocates


say, it is worth the effort to find a way to bring young and old together in creative, constructive, and personal encounters. “Not everyone likes yoga or book clubs,” Nicholson said. “But in light of the limited chances that residents may have to interact with younger people, it becomes really im- portant for us to provide those opportuni- ties for those individuals who are interested in that.”


FOUR TIPS FOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS


For an executive director trying to bring together residents and young people, a little planning goes a long way. As director of child care at senior living provider Ebenezer, Jody Schumann offers the following tips to ensure a seamless and successful interaction:


Inform: When students are coming to visit, make sure residents and staff are aware of the event in advance. Let them know who’s coming, where they will be, and what they’ll be doing.


Space: You need the right set up for the program. A science program may require tables pushed together for collaborative work; a pottery class may need a circular setup with the instructor in the middle, and so on.


Supplies: Paper towels? Instruments? Paper and pen? Make an inventory of needed items based on the activity and stock up beforehand.


Staff: A guest artist or lecturer shouldn’t have to fly solo. Have ample staff on hand to manage the encounter, to ensure that kids and seniors can interact comfortably. Staff can help seniors to open up and share, and they can gently guide kids toward the most effective paths for making contact, based on their own experience with residents.


22 SENIOR LIVING EXECUTIVE JULY/AUGUST 2018


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