Intergenerational playgroup

[monnie]

Hey

Has anyone ever joined one of these?

Intergenerational playgroups can also be established in a variety of aged care settings including residential care facilities, retirement villages, local government authorities and community based seniors programs. These playgroups provide seniors, children and their parents and caregivers with opportunities to interact through play.

This new initiative brings additional benefits to the parents, caregivers children and seniors in our community. Seniors will feel valued as a resource because they will have a more meaningful, respected role in the community, thus increasing their self-esteem. Often, seniors feel redundant in society because they no longer feel productive however intergenerational playgroups may contribute to them feeling more useful again. Seniors will have an opportunity to connect (or reconnect) with their own extended families or other families within the local community in an intergenerational playgroup. This regular contact will enhance the lifestyle of all involved in the playgroup.

Along with these benefits to the seniors, families will also experience additional benefits. Many young families have little or no experience with older people because of geographical or social isolation. Visiting, playing and interacting with seniors will add a new dimension to their experience enabling relationships to be developed across generations. This, in turn, may shift some negative stereotypical attitudes towards seniors. Children and families will develop a positive attitude and acceptance towards seniors. They will feel connected to the community and develop a sense of responsibility to it and its inhabitants.

I'm thinking of joining one...but wanted to get some feedback from people who have been involved already...

Cheers!

[C~Q]

Wow what a great idea! I think it's fantastic, especially in our situation. All my family is in England and DH doesn't have Granparents so our kids have never really interacted with people of over, say, 60. When we went back to the UK 2 years ago it was really hard to get the kids to understand that they had to behave and speak differently to different generations. They couldn't for example say something (amusingly) cheeky to their Great Grandparents but they could their Grandparents...that sort of thing.

Sorry, rambling! I think it's great and I hope you have lots of fun there

[meow]

I know a girl on another forum I was on went to one of these and loved it... mainly though because she connected with the other Mums there better than her other mother's group. But she said she liked the environment and having the older people there too.
I think they sound like a great idea

[monnie]

Yeah...I guess (the mother's group thing) is part of the reason why I'm thinking about it too...

My mother's group (which I actually don't attend anymore) was really becoming this "yummy mummy" group that I don't enjoy. It seemed to become all cliquey and I just sort of opted out.

Anyway...now I regret not being involved in anything...and I wondered if a group like this (intergenerational group) would be a little different, with a different sort of focus.

[littlelara]

Sounds like a great idea to me; where would you find one?

[monnie]

The Playgroup WA association has a list of them

We're on a public holiday over here...so will have to wait until tomorrow until I can contact them.

I think there are quite a few in Perth. I know one is run through the Alzeimher's Association with seniors dealing with dementia.