Our "Adopting an Older People's Home in Wiltshire" Project 2011
Fri, Aug 19th 2011
Hi, Anyone-Out-There?
Sorry – I’ve not blogged for ages. Sometimes I find it really hard to write anything other than ‘worky’ things which are always staring at me coldly in a tall frigid pile! And if I get out of the habit – I just can’t seem to break back into that cycle that says “get up earlier ‘n blog”!! Anyway, I’m inspired to write to this morning of a wonderful project concerning older and young people together – and if you’ve read my ramblings before you’ll know how dear to my heart this vision is! We set up a charity some time ago ‘All Round Success’ – and its achieved some good things – e.g. research into the efficacy of circle time in secondary schools, some support for teacher education in India, support for a project for young disabled people in African schools, but it needs a lot more energy and attention so it can raise more funds. Meanwhile, we looked at what we still have in the coffers and decided to devote it to one really good in depth project and naturally we chose to build on the passion and rallying call of “Every Primary School to Adopt an Older Peoples’ Home”! (see my previous blog). We invited one of my very senior, experienced consultants, Sarah Bentley to lead the project. Working closely with an older person's home and local primary school in West Wiltshire for six weeks, Sarah wove weekly magical circles of fun and respect, welding the young and the old together through a series of games and activities that built mutual interests, whilst introducing new and challenging things to do together as well. We need to give this project proper ‘air time’ and my daughter, Meg, has said we can post her account of this project as my next blog – as Meg went to do some photos so each person in the project could have a little album to remember it by. So watch this space for Meg's viewpoint and photos fromher work with this project
Meanwhile Sarah has also written up a short account for me so I would love to share this with you here. The reason I’m asking is in the hope a spark of their enthusiasm could light up your own. I know everyone is busy holidaying but maybe you could keep the little spark alight till after the holiday and, refuelled by light, sun and relaxation – it might grow into a steady flame of enthusiasm which can ignite in September a regaining fire of commitment that’ll brook no obstacles!
Sarah Bentley's report.
I have just completed the MOST amazing project. Its called “Adopt An Older Peoples Home” and it involved a residential home in a small Wiltshire market town, 8 year 6 pupils, a super teaching assistant from a local primary school and me! We went into the home once a week for 5 weeks and worked with the residents using Jenny Mosley’s 5 Step, Quality Circle Time Model. The children brought the home alive and we noticed small relationships being formed across the generation gap. One week a resident brought in a picture of the ship he served on in the war and the following week one of the pupils brought in pictures of himself celebrating the recent Armed Forces Day.
Many things collectively touched our hearts, the day the bubbles were blown and one lady wiped the gentle touch from her cheek, a resident doing head, shoulders, knees and toes with the parachute and the trying and tasting of different foods – including butter making – WOW!
This project has touched my heart – we are all getting older and to bring some joy to elderly residents will be something I treasure for ever.
Sarah Bentley, Senior Associate Consultant
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