A preschool has joined forces with a nursing home to bring children in five times a week for social interaction and exposure to the elderly nursing home patients. The patients experience the opportunity for lower blood pressure, slower mental decline, and a reduced rate of disease and death.
Children in return experience more respect for the elderly, more acceptance with disabilities in other people, regardless of age. The program was put together with the elderly in mind to create a more fulfilling environment for them. “We wanted a living, vibrant community; to make sure that this was a place where people came to live, not die,” says an administrator at the center. For more, read the story.
