Local community connects through playgroup

An aged care facility in South Australia has started an intergenerational playgroup to bring together both the young and the young at heart and boost community connection.

ACH Group Kapara has collaborated with Playgroup SA, the peak organisation for playgroups in South Australia, to connect its residents with young children and their parents in the first intergenerational playgroup of its kind in the state.

Kapara manager Lyn Bertram told Australian Ageing Agenda that she and her staff were always looking at ways to do something different and bring the community into the facility, and approached Playgroup SA after hearing of a similar program in Victoria.

There have been two playgroups held at Kapara since the program began in late November. Each event was attended by around 10 children and their parents, ranging from young babies through to preschool age.

At each session, which goes for an hour and a half and is guided by a coordinator from Playgroup SA and facility staff, residents have the opportunity to both nurse the children or to play games, read books or paint with them.

Ms Bertram said the response to the playgroups so far had been very positive, and some excited residents had arrived half an hour early for the last event.

“It’s nice for the residents, as they can recall memories from their own parenting or childhood days,” said Ms Bertram.

Various research had shown intergenerational playgroups were beneficial for those living in residential aged care and could help to improve health outcomes and quality of life, particularly for those experiencing social isolation or living with dementia.

Ms Bertram said she has been touched by the responses from residents with dementia who attended the playgroups held so far.

“It’s quite amazing, because you see people who have very high levels of memory loss or memory impairment, but you put a baby in their arms and they’re back to being a mum again,” she said. “There are lots of smiles and laughter.”

The benefits of the playgroups were reciprocal; Ms Bertram said it was great to see children interacting with older people, especially if they did not have grandparents or had grandparents who lived far away.

Similarly, younger parents also had the opportunity to pick up tips from the residents about their own parenting experiences, and to meet other parents, she said.

Ms Bertram said the program was very transferable and hoped continued success may see it rolled out across other facilities.

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