The benefits of intergenerational play

Could spending a couple of hours a week in the company of preschoolers help improve the health and wellbeing of seniors? 

Researchers at The George Institute for Global Health are studying whether being physically, socially, and mentally active can help lower the risk of older people developing frailty and cognitive decline. 

Taking their cue from a popular television program, Old People’s Home for 4-Year-Olds, they are inviting people 65 and over to take part in a study that brings together older adults and preschoolers in the community. 

The team at The George Institute, led by leading researcher into dementia and frailty, Dr Ruth Peters, hopes to be the first to use a clinical trial to find proof of the benefits of intergenerational practice. 

The INTEGRITY study is being run at 44 pre- schools and childcare centres across Sydney. 

The researchers hope that facilitating regular contact in small, structured groups between different generations will offer support to both the adults and children in the trial. 

“We think that this approach will allow us to enhance social, physical, and cognitive engagement for the older adults, foster friendships among older adults and across age groups, and contribute to language and emotional development as well as school readiness in children,” they say. 

Last year, retired registered nurse Therese McGee answered an advertisement seeking participants to join the INTEGRITY study at The Terrey Hills Community Kindergarten in northern Sydney. 

“I was aware of The George Institute and their many fields of research, and I wanted to volunteer with children, so it seemed the perfect fit,” she told Pittwater Life magazine. 

The program she took part in was held over 20 weeks, two hours per week, with 10 seniors and 10 children coming together in structured playgroup activities. 

The program included games, arts and crafts, physical activities, cooking, dancing, singing, yoga, and more. 

“It was a great way to interact regularly with preschool children and a wider community,” Therese said. 

The experience has had positive flow-on effects. The adult volunteers have continued to meet socially, and Therese is now a permanent volunteer at the kindergarten. 

“I am certainly very much part of the community now,” she said. 

Therese said she had noticed a “huge amount of growth” in the children who participated in the program last year, noting “they were so ready to start ‘big school’ this year”. 

The research team is recruiting adult volunteers to continue the study. 

If you are 65 or older and have a few hours to spare each week, you might be able to help. For more information visit INTErGenerational intervention to Reduce fraIlTY trial (INTEGRITY) | The George Institute for Global Health or call 8052 4365. 

To complete an expression of interest please visit Expression of Interest.