Lowood’s little ones are connecting with local seniors through Able Australia.
Able’s Active Living Program held its third session of the Intergen Connections Program art Lowood Early Education Centre and Preschool on Thursday, 27 June.
Program coordinator Rachelle Williams said the activity was all about connecting seniors with the kids.
“Intergen is an activity that we’ve been running across West Moreton, and it’s all about getting seniors and putting them in kindergarten every week,” Mrs Williams said.
“They just do what the kids do, they follow the lesson plan and play games.
“There’s a lot of seniors out there that don’t have access to their grandkids and vice versa.
“This is a really simple way of getting that bonding going on a regular basis.”
Mrs Williams said the program has proved popular with sessions held in Gatton, Plainland, Rosewood, Raceview, Leichhardt and now Lowood.
“I had one senior starting at our Rosewood site and she said to me on the very first day ‘I have difficulty in the morning deciding whether to get up because I really don’t have much to be doing, but today I couldn’t wait to get here and I’m looking forward to being a part of this every week’,” Ms Williams said.
“Plus, it’s a win-win all the way around.
“We had one parent at the Raceview site who deliberately transferred her child to the day when the senior was there so they could get the benefit from it.”
Lowood participant Voni Maciel has always lived with kids from a young age, and recently moved to Australia from New Zealand.
“I come from a big family and I always had nieces and nephews, and I love kids,” Mrs Maciel said.
“When I moved to Australia I joined Able and Able got me into this once a week.
“I love it, and it’s really good for us oldies to have the littlies around us.
“It’s marvellous… I don’t have to have tablets to be relaxed, even though they’re energetic and jump around, I just love it.”
Mrs Williams encouraged seniors to contact the Active Living Program for more information.
“It doesn’t matter if they’re a lady or a man, because kids need grandfathers just as much as they need grandmothers,” she said.
“Give me a call, because we need to have a little chat with them just to make sure they meet the requirements.”
Call Rachelle on 07 5600 0730.
