“It’s just so wonderful to see children here”.
I hear this phrase repeatedly each time we visit the elderly residents at our neighborhood retirement home. There is something truly special about intergenerational relationships. Many families in our club live apart from our parents and in turn crave a space where our children can interact with the generation before us.
The connections made and joy shared in our short time together are inspiring. During our first visit I found myself with chills as the director mentioned how uncharacteristically responsive and alert the dementia patients were. Her exact words were “They are just lighting up”. The children’s curiosity seems to feed the excitement of the residents.
We truly look forward to our visits. We began by trick-or-treating, then gathered in November to paint and share hot cocoa. In December we sang Christmas carols, then sat attentively (much to the toddler parents’ amazement) to hear from expert resident storytellers. Last week we met again to create Valentines and more friendships.
The most wonderful joy is experiencing the overwhelming support from our members. The generosity of the mothers in our group is astounding. A mom who cannot attend the socials brings hand made greeting cards for the residents. Additionally, a group of moms started visiting residents on a weekly basis outside our monthly socials. The moms of West Adams have giving hearts; our kids are lucky to
learn from them!
MOMS Club of West Adams, CA
