What Happens When You Integrate a Preschool into a Long-Term Care Facility? Joy and Purpose for All

By Aislinn Kotifani

Crafts, field trips to the zoo, daily outdoor activities, gardening—a curriculum for a preschool or a long-term care facility? As it turns out, combining programming and care for the very young and the very old can benefit everyone involved.

@thatgoodnewsgirl A daycare has opened inside a dementia care village & senior living center in England. Since mental stimulation, learning, and fun are shown to slow the progression of dementia, it’s really a win-win! The Belong Chester Nursery is the first of its kind in England, but a preschool opened in a Seattle nursing facility, Mt. St. Vincent, in 2015. Both have had positive results! Belong Chester / Mt. St. Vincent ILC #daycare #childcare #dementia #seniorliving ♬ original sound – That Good News Girl

As the aging population continues to grow exponentially and childcare costs skyrocket, there is an increasing need to find care solutions that work for everyone. While not a new concept, communities across the U.S. and around the world are creating spaces where babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and older adults living in care facilities can learn, grow, play, and connect with one another.

While not a new concept, communities across the U.S. and around the world are creating spaces where babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and older adults living in care facilities can learn, grow, play, and connect with one another. Share on X

Ebenezer Ridges Campus and Child Care in Burnsville, Minnesota is one of these unique facilities that actively fosters and provides opportunities for intergenerational connections. Through innovative programming and shared spaces, it allows older residents and young children to interact daily, creating a vibrant community that benefits all involved. Their curriculum is filled with nature center field trips, fairy gardens, animal visitors, art, face painting, and baseball games. They even held a special celebration of “Older Americans Month” this past May. One parent of preschool-aged children said, “[Our children] have benefited greatly from the interactions with the ‘Grandfriends’ in art, music, and field trips. It has helped them…not to be afraid or ignore those who may be different.”

One parent of preschool-aged children said, “Our children have benefited greatly from the interactions with the ‘Grandfriends’ in art, music, and field trips. It has helped them…not to be afraid or ignore those who may be different.” Share on X

According to research published in the journal Early Childhood Research Quarterly, intergenerational sites like Ebenezer Ridges Campus can increase the health and well-being of both populations involved, and they can reduce social isolation, increase purpose, promote empathy and social acceptance, and create cost efficiencies.

Intergenerational Benefits

Successful centenarians in the original blue zones regions put their families first. This means keeping aging parents and grandparents nearby or in the home (It lowers disease and mortality rates of children in the home too). While intergenerational living is common in places like the blue zones, many people now live far away from aging parents and grandparents or do not have the means or space to accommodate a multigenerational home. Programs like Ebenezer Ridges Campus’ can offer older adults opportunities to interact with children, giving them a sense of purpose and belonging, and bringing joy to spaces where life can sometimes feel dreary. Older adults have a chance to use their life experience and expertise to develop and share activities such as cooking, knitting, science, art, and storytelling with children who have a zest and fervor for life. Study participants stated that the energy of the children on the playground helped encourage them to move more, and green spaces surrounding the play areas offer a space for everyone to enjoy outdoor activities.

In addition to physical and emotional benefits, intergenerational programs have led the way to reduce ageism and age discrimination among young and old alike. Generations United, an organization working to strengthen intergenerational connections, published a comprehensive review of the literature on intergenerational programs, and found that children as young as 9 weeks to 13 months have shown a deeper level of connection and cooperative play with older adults when compared to children not involved or participating in intergenerational programming.

In addition to physical and emotional benefits, intergenerational programs have led the way to reduce ageism and age discrimination among young and old alike. Share on X

Shared Savings

Combining child care and older adult care sites can also help expand program resources. A study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health revealed that addressing two important societal challenges (the growing demand for support of older adult populations and the continuing need for affordable and accessible childcare) could lower costs for both services by combining janitorial and delivery services, sharing spaces such as kitchen and dining areas, training and recruiting staff, and providing access to a wider range of fundraising opportunities than single generation day care centers can access.

As sites like these continue to expand and more development is in progress for communities to open centers that prioritize social connection and support, it’s the magic in the small moments and the shared meals, shared stories, and shared laughs that make these intergenerational day care centers a move in the right direction.

Related article: Multigenerational Living Is the New Rapidly Growing Trend https://www.bluezones.com/2019/07/multigenerational-living-is-the-new-rapidly-growing-trend/

Aislinn Kotifani is the Communications Manager at Blue Zones and has been a member of the Blue Zones team since 2015, boasting a decade of dedicated service as a driving force behind the content strategies, engagement, voice, and vision of the organization.