They Put A Pre-School In A Nursing Home And Magic Happened!

#1 An Amazing Place

The Intergenerational Learning Center at the Mount, in Seatle Washington, is trying to change things for the betterment of the elderly and the young. It's bridging the gap between generations by bringing preschool into a nursing home and has had amazing results. There's even a documentary, Present Perfect, being made about it.

#2 For The Betterment of All

The effect on the elderly is amazing. Before the kids arrive, sometimes they seem half alive, sometimes asleep. It was a depressing scene. As soon as the kids walked in for art or music or making sandwiches for the homeless or whatever the project that day was, the residents came alive.

#3 How The Elderly Benefit

Numerous studies have linked social interaction with decreased loneliness, delayed mental decline, lower blood pressure, and reduced risk of disease and death in elders. Socializing across generations has also been shown to increase the amount of smiling and conversation among older adults, according to one Japanese study from 2013.

#4 How The Kids Benefit

Kids who have early contact with older people are less likely to view them as incompetentand simply exposing children to positive depictions of elders makes them less likely to exhibit ageism. These intergenerational interactions also enhance children's social and personal development. And, as many of the parents whose children attend the ILC will attest, the kids are prone to feel more comfortable around those with disabilities and impairments of all kinds than their peers who lack such experiences.

#5 It Also Helps Others

Both the kids and elderly spend time making sandwiches for the hungry, as well as providing each other with patience that frazzled ,overstressed adults seem to lack.

#6 There are opportunities to play, laugh and enjoy the spirit and joy that children bring to their home environment.

#7 The children and residents come together in a variety of planned activities such as music, dancing, art, lunch, storytelling or just visiting.

#8 At The End Of The Day

And ultimately, just like Cinderella's enchanted transformation, the magic may only last for a fixed amount of time. As beautiful as this is, when they march those kids out of there that elder who had just been brought to life is sitting slumped over in a chair by a nurse's station. And that's the sad part of the story.