A GROUP of pre-school children are helping to combat loneliness and boost the wellbeing of elderly people at a care home run by CrossReach, the social care arm of the Church of Scotland.
Residents at Whinnieknowe, a 24-bed care home in Nairn, near Inverness, are taking part in ‘playdates’ with children from a local family support centre. Aged between 65 and 100, the residents take part in a range of activities including singing, arts and crafts and storytelling with their young friends.
The initiative – named WOW (Wee Ones at Whinnieknowe) – was inspired by a Channel 4 documentary, Old People’s Home for Four Year Olds, about a similar intergenerational project in Bristol, as well as research – particularly from America, where such inter-generational schemes are becoming increasingly common – showing that they can drastically improve the quality of life of care home residents.