Photos: Supplied.
CONTRIBUTED BY VICTORIA POINT STATE HIGH SCHOOL
As part of the Seventh-day Adventist Aged Care Program, Year 10 students from Victoria Point State High School (VPSHS) are developing valuable communication and interpersonal skills while engaging with residents and staff at aged care facilities. The program offers students meaningful insights into life and learning, drawing on the wisdom and experiences of the residents.
For the past two years, students have been visiting seniors. These visits include playing board games, engaging in crafts, playing bingo, participating in trivia, enjoying morning tea by the lake, meeting Busbie the car, and even dancing the Can Can during a Scottish Pipe Band visit. These activities foster a deep connection and create a sense of community between the students and the residents.
Youth Support Coordinator Mrs. MacRae recently accompanied the students as they visited a local aged care facility to celebrate Grandparents Day and present residents with special Grandparent Badges. It was a wonderful opportunity for students to connect across generations and share kindness and respect. The residents look forward to interacting with our students and they light up when the students arrive.
“As a Youth Support Coordinator at Victoria State High School, I am very proud of the students during the weekly visits with the residents at Adventist Retirement Plus, Victoria Point,” said Mrs MacRae.
“Through these weekly interactions students have with the residents, I have observed each student’s self-esteem, self-awareness and confidence increase when they arrive, assist the residents with craft and bingo, and having general conversations where the students and residents are learning from each other.”
This intergenerational relationship benefits both students and seniors, providing improved moods, an enhanced sense of purpose, and reduced social isolation. These interactions also contribute to better mental and physical health, including improved cognitive function, higher self-esteem, and stress relief. Moreover, they provide an opportunity for both generations to learn from each other.
