As I wait at the entrance of the Joseph Banks Aged Care Facility with a bright-eyed group of four and five-year-olds from North Harrisdale Primary, one of them beckons me closer.
“I love coming to the nursing home,” Mantaj whispers. “There’s lots of people here to play with.”
As we approach the dining room, a group of equally bright-eyed residents twinkle with anticipation at getting to spend time with their pre-primary pals.
Today they’ll be colouring in Easter crowns together, and building sculptures out of plastic connector sets.
But there’ll also be plenty of time for spontaneous sharing.
One boy shows off his addition and subtraction skills to exclamations of “well aren’t you clever then”.
While one resident proudly shows her little buddy pictures of her pup.
“She looks like she really loves you,” the child comments while her ‘old person’ beams back at her.
Pre-primary students from North Harrisdale Primary have been visiting Joseph Banks for the past three years.
Teacher Emily Body instigated the program at the school in 2023 after personally seeing the positive impact these two generations at the opposite end of the age spectrum can have on each other.
“My parents are from Pemberton, so it was a big shock for them to be placed in a nursing home in Perth in the middle of COVID,” she said. “Everyone was wearing masks. I think it was really isolating for them.
“Having my kids visit really brightened that transition for them.
“And I wanted to replicate that experience at school.”
Twice a term, a small-ish group of pre-primary students are taken to Joseph Banks to spend an hour with the residents.
“Ooh I love when the children come,” Noreen said. “I get a bit lonely when they go.”
“I never had this kind of opportunity when I was young. It was very strict when I went to school,” Rosetta said.
“So, seeing them here and be free to express themselves however they want, it makes me feel good.”
“I think they’re brilliant,” David* said.
“I love just watching their antics – they’re so busy. I think a lot of people enjoy laughing along with the funny things they say and do.”
“I get a lot of joy and happiness whenever I see these beautiful kids,” Judith said. “And I think they do too. They remind me of my great, great grandies.
“I’m 92 and I don’t know how long I have left, so I’m going to enjoy them here as long as I can – make the most of it.”
Sometimes, the school choir will come and perform. Listening to the children sing clearly has a huge impact on the residents, some of whom ask repeatedly during our visit when the choir will visit again.
But the social benefits of these interactions are anything but one-sided.
Before the visit, Hudson was nervous. He’d never been to an aged care facility before and was worried the elderly residents would grumble at him.
“But they didn’t,” he said. “They’re nice to me and help me colour. I want to come again.”
Pre-primary teacher Marildrya Van Graan said the visits had “busted a lot of pre-conceived notions the children had”.
“For some kids, their grandparents might live overseas, so this could be their only chance to interact with elderly people,” she said.
“Some of our more reserved kids – ones who don’t really speak up in class – have really come out of their shells.
“And in previous years, some of the children who displayed some challenging behaviours in the classroom absolutely thrived in the nursing home environment with the one-on-one attention they were given.”
Likewise, some of the residents who are known to be a little difficult, are clearly totally different people around the children.
And the visit leaves a lasting impact on both groups.
“The children who were initially nervous to come, are usually the ones who immediately ask if they can come back. And you hear them telling their peers all about their visit when they return to school,” Marildrya said.
The experience also gently introduces a number of difficult concepts to the children, like mortality, and dementia.
During the visit, the kids were patiently repeating their names and even spelling them out on paper to help the residents remember.
And some were giggling along with the antics of a gentleman who was gleefully colouring in his easter crown with a tube of lip balm.
This year, the school has increased its engagement with the residents at Joseph Banks, inviting them to visit the students in their native habitat.
“We just had a group come to watch our Easter parade,” Emily Body said. “And we’ve invited them to come to our Christmas concert at the end of the year.
“They get to see the kids in their own environment, and it perhaps gives them the chance to compare the kids’ educational experiences with their own.”
Next term, another lot of kids will get the chance to share some special moments with some new friends at Joseph Banks.
“Will they remember me?” young Kelly asks. “I’ll remember them.”
*Name changed for privacy
Photographs – Mel Dee
