Intergenerational Program Database

We have a Head Start located on our Campus which has an enrollment of approximately 15 children. We have quite a few planned activities where the children and our residents interact. On a daily basis the children go for a walk through our building which provides a great way for our residents and the children to interact. A few of our residents are regular volunteers in the Head Start program. Our residents also read to the children a few times per week.

HANCI serves individuals of all ages. It is the site of a Foster Grandparent program. Individuals assist in the childcare classrooms

CareOne at Ewing has partnered with two local schools to participate in our intergenerational program, which partners our residents with students in a variety of fun activities, including karaoke sing-alongs, word games and holiday crafts.

NJIO is an “Orchestra for All” which welcomes musicians of all ages and skill levels into a nurturing artistic environment. Through multiple ensembles, we encourage our diverse group of players to move along the musical continuum. Our members, from earliest beginners to most accomplished instrumentalists will grow musically from their NJIO interactions with musical professionals and each other, while advancing together towards the common goal of achieving artistic excellence within their capabilities.

Residents mentor the 4 yr. old children in math. Teachers provide worksheets and the "grandma's & grandpa's" sit with a child and assist as needed. This program builds relationships as well as pattern building & logic skills. Math Magic also gives residents the opportunity to give back to the community. Parker at Stonegate is an EDEN Home and this program gives residents the opportunity to give as well as receive care, the antidote to helplessness.

From its inception in 2008, the Intergenerational Prom has been a favorite event for Bernards High School Students. The prom is the brainchild of Bernardsville resident Greg DiGioacchino, a member of the Somerset Hills School District Board of Education. Senior citizens from the school district’s four sending towns – Bernardsville, Bedminster, Far Hills and Peapack-Gladstone – are invited every year. “The purpose of the evening is to treat (the) senior citizens to dinner and dancing,” she said. “It’s just mingling, interaction between the generations. Many generations just coming together to have a night of fun.”

Students at Secaucus Middle School and High School volunteer their time and tutor seniors on computer basics. Computer workshops are offered once a month in the Middle School computer lab, where students are paired up with senior citizens to work one-on-one. Each workshop begins with students discussing with the seniors what computer skills they most want to learn or improve upon. For some seniors, the S.A.I.L. workshops are their first experience with computer technology.

1. "Living Legacies:" Students (differing age group depending upon topic) interview residents of differing housing communities, ethnic communities, and veterans; translate interviews into monologues and then into a theatre piece. The students present/perform the piece before audiences of seniors, students and parents at the Senior Center and the housing communities. 2. "In A Kaleidoscope:" Middle School students collaborate with senior citizens to create poems and stories generated in an arts based language arts workshop. 3. "Opera Encore:" Elementary School students (K-5) study age appropriate opera repertoire in preparation for the annual Spring Musical at the Senior Center. As part of an afternoon interlude of well loved Opera and Theatre presented by professional singers from Opera NJ, the young students join with the opera vocalists in singing the songs they have learned in a an exciting shared performance. 4. "Continuing Cultural Conversations:" Middle school students interview parents/families from our large diverse community (64 different languages and dialects are spoken) to learn about eating customs and foods. At the annual international night, families bring these foods for consumption and include a brief description of what the food represents (holiday, religious, etc.). The school produces a cook book of these recipes which is available to the entire community.

Storied Lives pairs service-minded high-potential students who love to write with the elderly living in residential care homes, who are often lonely and want to tell their stories. Over the course of a program, the students will spend quality time with their assigned elderly person, getting to know them, writing a story about their life, and finally, presenting the story to their resident at the program’s closing ceremony. The program was founded in 2012 in Morris County, NJ, pairing students from West Morris Mendham High School with elderly residents at Morris Hills Center in Morristown, NJ.

Grandparents Day Grand Prix- this was held on Grandparents Day to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Annual Walk for All Ages, designed to raise awareness of issues affecting older adults. The Prix included a variety of intergenerational activities to take part in.