Shrewsbury primary school pupils visit care home

Primary school children from The Wilfred Owen School recently visited The Uplands care home as part of a campaign to encourage greater interaction between young and old.

Led by care technology specialist the Access Group the 'Teaching Forgotten Skills' campaign invited children from year two to take part in a day full of activities, playing games and learning skills from yesteryear with residents at the care home.

This was a bid for the young to interact with the old, sharing skills and to highlight what may have been forgotten with time and the introduction of technology. The activities included knitting, map-reading and playing old-fashioned games.

Evidence suggests that intergenerational care has numerous health benefits, with studies finding that programmes with children bring huge improvements to the mental and physical wellbeing of older people.

Carey Bloomer, managing director at The Uplands care home said: “It is incredible to see the impact that spending a few hours with young people can have on our residents. Working closely with people living with dementia, it is clear how big the impact of spending time with people can have on the health and happiness of older people.”

Dawn Marshall, Forest School lead, at The Wilfred Owen School, added: “Interaction with elderly people is invaluable to develop communication skills and increase confidence for our pupils. Elderly people have so much to teach younger people and tapping into their experiences is hugely important to pass skills between generations.”