When Young Meet Old – All Learn and Thrive

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What Happens When Young Meet Old?

When young meet old good things happen - a teen knits while elderly lady uses iPadWhen young meet old good things happen - a teen knits while elderly lady uses iPadRecently, I watched on Facebook a video about teens teaching elderly people how to use a computer. It is both humorous and heartwarming. For me, it was also a tear jerker. 
This short documentary demonstrates that young and old not only can bond but also enjoy what each has to offer.

 All too often these days, the younger generation do not feel a purpose in their lives. Interestingly, this feeling is the same with the elderly. Matching the two groups together fills voids in both of their lives.

I found a similar video on YouTube called, “When Teenage Meets Old Age”. Filmed in Britain, this documentary placed people from an old-age home with teens.

The two groups went on vacation together. They help each other, often just by listening to each others’ stories, finding hidden talents, sharing laughs, and discovering that teens and the old people are actually special people with similar experiences and all can learn from the other.

Every participant has life-altering transformations just from spending a few days together.

In Providence Mount St. Vincent in West Seattle, an Inter-generational Learning Center has been opened to ensure that the elderly of this nursing home have happy experiences. They do this by housing a pre-school on the premises.

Programs include art projects, reading, movement and music between the young and old. All feel loved and cared for.

With studies showing that 43% of the elderly experience social isolation leading to loneliness and depression as well as mental and physical decline and one in twelve teens having depression, these documentaries demonstrate an approach for a win-win program for all.

Consistently, young and old reported feeling a greater purpose to their lives, discovering hidden talents and sharing more love.

With many parents being too busy, frazzled or distracted to give meaningful attention to their children and more than half of the homes in America being run by only one parent, connecting youth with lonely adults is an outstanding way to develop good character and warm experiences for both groups.

As one resident commented in the documentary, “No matter how old we are, everyone needs a purpose for getting up in the morning.” 

What do you think? Can and should programs like these be implemented in schools? We’d like to hear your thoughts.

4 Responses to When Young Meet Old – All Learn and Thrive

  1. Robert Weber says:

    Throughout the ages there have been Elders to instruct young people in regards of wisdom, important decision making, etc.
    Now that we have a whole elder generation that is new, or simply challenged by tech and how to use it comfortably. There seems to be an excellent opportunity to rekindle these connections between elders and youngsters. I was always fascinated as a young men with the stories that elders had to share. I would visit the seniors at an assisted living home in my town and strike up a conversation with anyone who was sitting alone. There were a variety of experiences, including one man I would spend about a half an hour with, who, no matter what I said would not engage. I continued to come and see him because I knew somewhere in my mind that even if he said nothing it was important for me to be there. Because of technology we don’t spend as much time talking to one another (Just ask Google). To change this unfortunate trend I would support any kind of program that brings people together to learn from one another and to talk face to face. I believe it to be sociologically necessary and important.
    Robert Weber
    San Francisco

    • Tsivya Fox says:

      Thanks for sharing, Robert. I agree with all you said. I do hope more and more programs are created to unite people with real experiences and face to face dialogue. Our future might just depend on it.

  2. A. Coley says:

    As a school we have engaged our youngsters and the elderly from our community in a number of inter-generational activities. But I really like the “Cyber Senior” idea. We will explore the possibilities in our community. Great job guys! Thanks for sharing.

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