Chris’ Corner is sponsored by Chateau Retirement Communities

“Oh wow, I like dentists because they make me have a great smile.” That was the comment from a St. Brendan Parish School 5th grader when I introduced him to one of our residents who is in a wheelchair, is very hard of hearing and before retiring had had a very successful practice in dentistry. The young boy had come along with his 5th grade class to sing songs and mingle afterwards with our residents.

Last fall I had a call from St. Brendan Parish School asking if we would be interested in having their school children come once a month to sing and visit with our residents. I was elated. It was arranged that a different grade would come each month starting with the 8th grade. It is now April and the 4th graders were here; next month it will be the 3rd graders. The children arrive with smiles and a lot of energy. They are polite and respectful, but confident, and with no hesitation introduce themselves to our residents, ready to carry on a conversation. Once engaged, residents feel special, special because someone who didn’t have to, reached out to them and struck up a conversation. This is the first organized intergenerational program we have participated in and one that has taught us we are hungry for more.

This year, one of my goals for activities is to create an intergenerational program for the Chateau residents. Over the past year-and-a-half, it has been hard to ignore the magic that happens when children come to spend time with our residents. It didn’t start as anything intentional but just by accident: Feet tapping and broad smiles as a music group of three young girls played their instruments, a random conversation between a young boy and a couple in the dining room, a Girl Scout troop that lifted their voices in Christmas songs and invited the residents to sing along. These were random visits by children that brought such joy that it clearly was time—time to bring different generations together in a more intentional way.

In January, I was approached by Senior Services and Northshore Senior Center about partnering to offer a service day for Eastside Prep students. The goal was to engage another generation to gain perspective and to have fun! To start, we had two circles, one generation in the middle, the other on the exterior circle. The older generation was to talk first about an assigned topic. We chose the topic: What do you wish the younger generation would know about the older generation and what stereotypes does the older generation think the younger generations have about them? During this time, the younger generation simply listened. Then it was time for the younger generation to talk among themselves on the same subject while the older generation listened. The day progressed into small groups of both generations, students touring the Northshore Senior Center, lunch and a service project.

At the end, the seniors and students felt they had been enlightened about the other generation and expressed a desire to get together again. In that short time, it felt like we had eliminated the generation gap. This same group of students will be returning to Chateau in April so we are again planning what our next intergenerational project day will look like. It has been exciting and I’ve learned a lot. I’ve learned that the interchange between people of different generations changes the experience of aging and we look at each other differently.

If you would like information about Chateau Bothell Landing or to schedule a tour and free lunch, please call Community Relations Director Mary Benz or Rob Finley at 425.485.1155 or email Mary. Benz@ chateaullc.com. Visit our website at www. chateau-bothell-landing.com