Developing good intergenerational relationships is at the core of positive, healthy ageing.

Social change

Society is changing as people grow older and live longer, and family ties are also changing. The generation gap is widening due, in part, to lifestyle, globalisation, and the migration of young people.

Research has shown that adults who experience close intergenerational interaction are less prone to depression and have better physical health as they feel more active and productive. They tend to be happier and are more hopeful for the future. 

Intergenerational Reading Rooms

Intergenerational Reading Rooms are a very important part of our programme for older people.

This year, we have created opportunities for four care homes and local primary schools to come together to listen to stories and poems, and to share their own stories with each other.

Rosemount Primary School has recently had a Reading Rooms session with Brooklands, Edenballymore Lodge Care Home in Derry/Londonderry. The theme was 'Connecting to the Community'.

People need people

We explored the poem 'People need People' by Benjamin Zephaniah. The children made garlands of paper dolls of themselves as a symbol of the poem and of our theme. The garlands will be hung up in the care home to remind residents of their young visitors.

The children helped older residents to make paper doll garlands of themselves that they will bring back to school to remind them of their time visiting Brooklands.  

We look forward to more sessions in the Autumn.