Family Room 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.