FamilyRoom Approach™

Imagine for a moment, the image of a "traditional" nursing home - quiet, monochromatic, not very diverse age-wise. The residents move about slowly, blank looks on their faces, riddled with boredom, loneliness, and helplessness, and suffocated by the routine of day-to-day life that someone else has constructed for them. Now transpose upon that image, pictures of older people reading to young children, feeding babies, singing and dancing. We know from the smiles on their faces, the touching of hands and the looks in their eyes that both groups benefit from these interactions. But the deeper meanings of the experience speak in a quieter voice. Underneath the obvious "fun" component, the children are learning that older people are valuable, capable, energetic, and most importantly, that they take the time to notice them.

Intergenerationally-enriched environments are stimulating, age-integrated settings that provide care and ongoing interactions for children and senior adults (Rosebrook, 2001). The FamilyRoom Approach™ is a "home-like" environment where there are quiet spaces, high-energy spaces, and a wide variety of activities geared to multi-ages offered in a relaxed atmosphere (Rosebrook & Murray, 1999), thus creating conditions that are comfortable, inviting, stimulating and exciting enough to bring generations together in a way that allows them the freedom to interact, explore, and develop meaningful relationships.

Care must be taken when constructing an intergenerational environment which will serve as the back drop for the child-youth-senior adult interaction. The combination and influence of many minds, mixed generations and genders, and differing levels of cognitive functioning and awareness creates a dynamic atmosphere. The environment constructed to house this particular dynamic should reflect the interests of everyone involved. The atmosphere should not appear too "old" to appeal to children, nor too "childish" to appeal to senior adults - it should reflect the fact that people are individuals, no matter what age group they happen to belong to.

Within the FamilyRoom Approach™ the setting is generationally-enriched and socially-based. A home-like design, supports familiarity and family, and reduces stress by establishing a comfortable atmosphere that is similar to home. The FamilyRoom Approach™ is designed to allow maximum opportunity for participant interaction. It is purposefully planned to create a cause-and-effect relationship between the environment and participant well-being, and based on enhancing the social environment. The FamilyRoom Approach™ conceptualized by the Marilyn & Gordon Macklin Intergenerational Institute is practiced exclusively at Marilyn's Lifelong Educational Center.