ARU Research Report 2019

The Up Project 3 The Up project is an intergenerational programme set up in Maldon, Mid Essex, which brings together school children and older adults living in a care home. It is a story which has evolved from a social experiment to become a weekly feature of care home and school life, embraced passionately by the wider community and all involved. It has only been made sustainable by the joint efforts of the care home: Longfields, and the school: All Saint’s Primary, who have developed an enduring partnership that has supported the project for three years. This report provides an overview of the inception and development of the project, and this collaborative relationship. This report offers a glimpse into how the interactions shared between older adults in the care home, with and without dementia, and the school children have unfolded to create an environment of community and shared understanding across the ages. Children, teachers, care home staff and older adults’ relatives have provided their feedback on the Up project, which is shared in this report. This feedback provides insights into how intergenerational programmes can be a vehicle for community inclusion of older adults in care homes and increase awareness of dementia and ageing among children. It demonstrates how synergies can be created between education and ‘real life’, where learning can occur outside school silos, to foster confidence, communication skills and emotional awareness in children. The Up project is a simple and sustainable model of an intergenerational programme, which can act as an exemplar for other schools and care homes who seek to explore the possibilities of bridging ages divides. This report considers the practicalities and implications of intergenerational interactions and activities, providing recommendations underpinned by experiences and learning gleamed from the project. It is hoped the recommendations and findings of this report can not only offer support for the Up project, but also inspiration to others. Introduction