Sacred Heart students make `grandfriends'

By Laureen McMahon

Sacred Heart Elementary students in Delta are learning about life in "the good old days" from their "grandfriends," retired seniors living in Augustine House next door to the school.

The Sacred Heart / Augustine House grandfriends program was launched two years ago to foster friendship between the community's oldest and youngest residents, said Geriatric Recreational Therapist Maryanne Innes.

Innes studied the program while training at Kwantlen College. After graduation she introduced a pilot project at a Tsawwassen public school. It worked so well she decided to offer it to Sacred Heart School when she joined the recreational staff at Augustine House.

The proximity of the school to the residence, said Innes, whose children attend Sacred Heart, makes the grandfriends program an ideal fit.

Right from the start the program has been a hit with young and old, said Sacred Heart principal David Schollen.

"The grandfriends, some of whom are former engineers, doctors, teachers, etc., enjoy sharing their skills and life stories with the children, who are delighted to have the older folks' undivided attention.

"The residents are very loving, and each has something to teach our students," he added. "It's easy to see why the kids are eager to visit there."

The benefit to the grandfriends, said Innes, is the chance to see life through the eyes of a child and to celebrate together such special events as Christmas.

"Some seniors have never had grandchildren, and some don't see the grandchildren they do have, so they jump at the chance to be with the kids," Innes said. "When the students walk through the doors, the older people's eyes light up!"

The children and their grandfriends visit for an hour once a month either at Augustine House or at Sacred Heart, explained Schollen.

"The children know the way over here almost better than the teachers!" he remarked as he followed three Grade 1s along the path between Sacred Heart School and the Augustinian friars' monastery to the residence.

In the fall, nearly 50 Grade 1s and the seniors gathered for a sing-along and drumming session at Augustine House directed by Lyle Povah, a musician and outreach worker.

The seniors and the children formed a circle, and everyone was given a drum, rhythm stick, or noise maker. Soon the seniors were banging away happily alongside the kids, said Innes.

"You should have seen the faces! It was noisy but thoroughly enjoyable!"

For Augustine House resident and former high school history teacher Alex Goostrey and his wife Dorothy, being grandfriends is all about getting to know the kids.

"More than anything, that matters," Goostrey said. "Watching them and getting involved is the big thing. If you don't have that feeling of involvement, a community goes flat on its face!"

Two weeks ago Sacred Heart Grade 1 teacher Yuri Watanabe walked her 20 students over to Augustine House for a children-and-grandfriends craft session to make Christmas ornaments.

"The children interact very well with the elderly," said Watanabe. "About six of them accompanied Mrs. Innes to the extended care area to help the more disabled residents."

On Dec. 18 the seniors returned the visit when they were special guests for an afternoon Sacred Heart Christmas concert rehearsal.

Being a grandfriend, said Innes, has wide-ranging positive effects

Acceptance on both sides `beautiful'

on the seniors' spiritual and emotional well-being.

"We want to keep our people mentally, physically, and spiritually active, and these visits do that by connecting them to new life. They get a fresh perspective. Suddenly they are visualizing and talking about the future, plus there's nothing like the bright eyes of a child to perk you up.

"The seniors enjoy listening to the children talk about their families and interests. They may not be familiar with the technological gadgets that the kids assume are part of everyone's life, but that doesn't matter."

And the children, said Innes with a chuckle, are truly amazed that some grandfriends can remember what it was like not to have television or cellular phones!

"They are fascinated by hearing about the past, such as the toys the seniors played with when they were young.

"Sometimes the two groups may not understand what each other are talking about, but there is a heartwarming acceptance between them that is beautiful to witness," said Innes.

She hopes, she told The B.C. Catholic, that the program will continue as the children progress into the higher grades, and that other schools will consider connecting their students to grandfriends in a retirement home.

Schollen said Sacred Heart is planning to encourage the grandfriends program as the children get older.

"We don't want them to lose touch, because this is a win-win for everyone," he said. "We expect to add a new class each year."

Innes can be contacted about involvement with Sacred Heart grandfriends or for more information about the program at Augustine House, 604-940-6005.