Early learning centre embedded in retirement village for ultimate intergenerational experience

Retirement village resident Jeannette Porritt with Montessori director Tina Yiannicou and young students. [Source: The Advertiser]

This Adelaide childcare centre is built inside a retirement village, creating a real-life version of the hit show Old People’s Home For 4 Year Olds!

As a partnership between not-for-profit aged care provider, ECH and SA Montessori, Echoes Montessori Early Learning Centre is believed to be the only one of its kind in Australia, purposefully built as an “intergenerational village” inside the ECH retirement facility.

Barbara Langford and her daughter Jessica operate the learning facility and said since it’s establishment in early 2022, the benefits have been huge.

“Things are happening every day […] children will daily wave and call out to residents on their balconies or meet them in the garden,” Ms Langford told The Advertiser.

Watch more about the intergenerational initiative!

Echoes Montessori is partnering with Torrens University on a research project to investigate how the concept could be broadened and incorporated in future community planning.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Communication Strategies: Connecting With Someone Who Has Dementia

Our lives as social beings hinge greatly on good communication skills. As infants we learn to fuss in a certain manner to communicate a need or to smile and laugh in delight. Children learn to communicate linguistically; teens develop more complex communication involving an ever-growing scope of vocabulary, body language and attitude. Generally speaking, our... Read More

Treasurer asks older Australians to keep working for longer

  The treasurer Josh Frydenberg has said he wants older Australians to have the choice to work for longer if they wish to, but some say that more needs to be done to tackle ageism before that will happen. In a speech on Tuesday, Mr Frydenberg said the Australian economy is facing “structural challenges” brought... Read More

Is 6 minutes long enough for staff to get each resident ready in the morning?

One claim we have heard lately is that staff working in aged care have only five or six minutes in the morning on average to prepare residents before breakfast. In that time they must shower, dry, dress, and toilet residents, and help them make their way to the dining room. Can this possibly be true? We spoke... Read More
Advertisement
Exit mobile version