On Mondays, Tabulam Cottages in Portland becomes a very joyful place - for young and old.
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The intergenerational playgroup, introduced by Lithgow City Council in 2018, brings young children into the aged care facility, with benefits for both groups.
"There's something very spontaneous and heart-warming about the way children offer their enthusiasm and make a bid for connection and play," Lithgow City Council community development officer, Viktoria Gulabovski said.
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Mila Blofield, lifestyle officer at Tabulam Cottages, said people with dementia preferred to talk about the past because they often found the present confusing.
"So when they have conversations with adults, who are constantly trying to re-orient them to the present, they may come across confused or disengaged. With children however, there's none of that. They just want to play," she said.
Lydia Commins, communities and Kids manager with LINC, said the purpose of the children spending time with the elderly was so they integrated and learnt things from each other.
"The little ones meet their friends at Tabulam every Monday and do activities, read stories and sing songs together," she said.
"One of our favourite songs to sing is 'The More We Get Together' - a nursery rhyme about friendship and happiness.
"We often sing this song towards the end of the playgroup, while standing in a circle holding hands".
As for the residents, they love it.
"I reckon it's beautiful to have the kids here. The faces of the little ones, their energy and joy, it just brings us all back into our lives again," said Jim, a resident of Tabulam Cottages.
While the intergenerational playgroup is a trial, which is set to wrap up in a few weeks. Council has been in conversation with Blinky Bill Preschool about continuing the intergenerational playgroup into the future.