Our partners

Spending time with the younger generation, whether singing rhymes with toddlers from a local nursery or being pampered by health and beauty students, is a fantastic way to enrich our residents’ lives.

For #IntergenerationalWeek we shine a spotlight on some of the amazing partnerships we have in our care homes, uniting our residents with children, teens and young adults. These partnerships bring so many benefits to each generation, for many different reasons.

The social side

The social aspect of intergenerational projects is clear from the moment they begin. The beaming smile on a resident’s face when they listen to nursery children singing at the tops of their voices is a wonderful sight. The companionship a university student who lives away from home gets from chatting to someone the same age as their grandparents is priceless. Or the feeling a retired school teacher who misses her career gets from volunteering at a local primary school.

With over 450 work experience placements in our homes per year and over 800 volunteers across our homes, the possibilities for intergenerational projects are endless.

Ahead of #IntergenerationalWeek we give you a glimpse of just a few of the fantastic partnerships we have, which break down age barriers and unite different generations. The friendships being forged do not just benefit our residents; they are wonderful for the young people who come to our residential care and nursing homes. They have so much to gain from not just the companionship of older people, but also the wisdom and life experience that our residents have in bucket loads.

Giving something back

When asked what she loved most about spending time in one of our care homes, one of our young work experience students said: “These residents have worked hard in society to take care of us and now it’s time to take care of them.”

Working together

Our care homes across England and Scotland all link up with nurseries, schools, colleges and universities as part of their everyday activities. We have nursery children who to take part in everything from baking and exercise sessions. Meanwhile college students complete practical work experience placements which support them to develop life skills. This year alone over 35 Duke of Edinburgh students have volunteered in our care homes on a regular basis, as part of their accreditation. Meanwhile paramedic students from local universities also carry out placements in our care homes.

These partnerships not only bring joy to our residents, they are an enormous help to the bright futures of these youngsters, who often find they have so much to learn from the older generation.

Resident with work experience staff member

Meet Kayleigh

For Kayleigh Hodgetts, doing work experience at The Beeches, one of our five care homes in Birmingham, reminds her of precious time spent with her own grandparents.

Read Kayleigh's story