Social connection is just as important as physical safety for our aged care residents, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. We understand that the last few weeks have been difficult due to the restricted visiting that’s in place to protect residents.

As a result, we’re opening up the opportunity for young people in schools to reach out to our residents to help them remain socially connected. We already have the intergenerational program across a number of our centres and can see the joy it brings to the residents and kids alike. We’re inviting schools to join our GrandPals program.  

Under this program, the students can exchange letters and drawings with our residents, or as we like to say, become GrandPals!

Interested? Woohoo, this is how you can get involved:

1. Select one of our locations.
2. Students in a class can collectively or individually share letters, paintings, drawings with us via email or through our Facebook messenger (photos of the messages/drawings are fine too).
3. The letters and drawings will be printed and displayed throughout the centres.
4. The residents in turn will be writing and sending pictures of what they get up to in the centres.
5. The GrandPals program is open to students of any age.
6. One-on-one GrandPals can also be organised if a student wishes to write to a specific person. We have a few elderly people who do not have any family and would love to get a personalised letter. This can be facilitated through our Lifestyle team. 

Thank you for taking the time to connect with one of the most delightful yet underappreciated communities in Australia, our elderly. The situation has forced us into physical distancing it is also bringing us closer socially and emotionally.