Steelstown Primary School and Greenhaw Lodge Care Home Celebrate Intergenerational Partnership
Steelstown Primary School and Greenhaw Lodge Care Home celebrate partnership they forged together this year. Primary 7 children from Steelstown P.S. met weekly with residents and staff of Greenhaw Lodge in purposeful, mutually beneficial activities which promote greater understanding and respect between generations. Both groups learnt skills, values and knowledge together and from each other.
Mrs Siobhan Gillen said that "the partnership stemmed from the school choir and musicians performing for the residents. The children engaged so positively and the partnership grew from there. Developing empathy between generations is so important and these life skills are needed in all parts of society. Dementia /Alzheimers is so common now and it is important for our young generations to have experience of developing skills and empathy to help and work with all ages. We wish to thank the Home Manager Mrs Berni Conway-McDaniel. Mrs Deeney and all the staff of Greenhaw Care Home for their supportand engagement and the boys and girls ,Mrs Brown, Mrs King and Mrs Devine from Steelstown P.S. for their commitment and dedication throughout the project. The children gained so much from the project and looked forward to their visits each Friday afternoon. The project stemmed children’s interest in designing a project that involved designing an app and programme to help those with dementia. The project won overall award in NW STEM competition. The children are going forward later this month to showcase their work in Jordanstown, Belfast. “
Pictured is the children presenting the residents with canvas display of their hand prints symbolising the significant impact the project has made to both the young and young at heart.
