16 August 2023
An intergenerational partnership between students at Hollywood Primary School and residents at Regis Weston in Nedlands is resulting in some unlikely friendships between students and seniors, who are bonding over art, storytelling and reading.
Every second Friday, students and residents from the Home, many of who are octogenarians and nonagenarians, spend time together as they participate in a range of activities, including discussing books, comparing favourite toys from past and present and chatting about different artists and their work.
Kate Tanoska, General Manager of Regis Weston, says the aged care home had partnered with Hollywood Primary School for around 12 months, with students involved being of both primary school age, and pre-primary.
“Our residents absolutely love having the school students visit them,” she says.
“For our seniors, spending time with young people is a chance to reminisce back to when they were in school, to compare stories about their own school days and interests, and what it’s like for the youngsters from Hollywood Primary School as they attend school, in comparison to our seniors who gained their education in the last century.”
“Older people can sometimes be deprived of spending time with the next generation if their own families can’t visit very often, so seeing bright, friendly young faces is something they really look forward to.
“At the same time, the partnership is just as beneficial for the students themselves, because it’s a chance for them to see our residents as individuals who are special and valuable in their own right, rather than just being ‘older people’.”
Regis Weston is also making plans for its seniors to visit the school in the near future, to enable residents to gain a feel for what school life is like in 2023.
