Walking along corridors adorned with festive decorations and amid the quiet of the care home, a soft and distant harmony echoes – the voices of young and old.
As the gentle noise begins to trickle through the halls, supplemented by the faint jingling of bells, the lyrics to Away in a Manger become clearer.
This is the sound of Scotland’s only intergenerational facility – a rather grandiose name for a place of love and companionship.
Comprising a nursery and care home, the two community resources were integrated to create a first-of-its-kind ‘care village’ in Methilhaven, Fife.
The unique set-up makes it easier for the nursery children to visit elderly residents of the home where they share stories, play games and sing songs together in a scheme that is bringing untold benefits to both groups.
The elderly participants are rejuvenated by the uplifting moments they have with the enthusiastic youngsters, who give scant regard to the frailty or conditions that can pose a barrier to others.
Meanwhile the tots benefit from the dialogue they have with the older people, boosting their vocabulary, learning stories, history and all manner of general knowledge from their wise elders.
Lynne Garvey, director at Fife Health and Social Care, which runs the village project, said: ‘Methilhaven is a fantastic facility for the area.
Nursery kids and care home residents come together to sing, share stories and play games
Methilhaven residents have been treated to handmade Christmas cards by the nursery children
‘But it represents much more than a state-of-the-art development. This isn’t just bricks and mortar, it’s a fresh approach to bring people across the generations together.’
The bond being formed between the two generations is particularly evident during the festive period. One resident, Sheila Cook, 82, said the heartwarming time spent with the children ‘takes her back’ to her own childhood.
She added: ‘We’ve been teaching the kids our favourite Christmas songs, like Away in a Manger and When Santa Came Down the Chimney.
‘They teach us some of their new ones too and that’s really special. The children just accept us for the way we are.’
Surrounded by the backdrop of the group’s Christmas tree, these residents have been treated to handmade Christmas cards by the six nursery children, followed by a game of Santa Bingo and a round of biscuits while they chat the hour away.
They gather twice a week on the former site of Kirkland High School and have become so close over the past year, that the children will refer to the residents as their ‘friends’ when chatting during class or at home with their families.
The scheme is described as ‘truly inspirational’
The elderly residents and their young counterparts mark all manner of festivals and occasions together, such as Halloween, birthdays and Christmas parties.
Ms Cook said spending time with the kids is something she ‘looks forward to every week’.
She added: ‘We just love colouring and singing songs to the kids. Sometimes they can be a bit shy, but they get used to us.’
The village, which includes the 36-bed home, an integrated nursery, extra care housing properties and four specific-needs bungalows, has become a beacon of pride for the community which suffers from high levels of deprivation.
This is why the facility offers a community cafe for locals who are encouraged to enjoy a hot beverage and a bite to eat on their home patch –regardless of whether they have any relationship to the residents or youngsters within. Nursery headteacher
Alexandria Johnston believes the project has garnered great community support for the facility, something particularly important during the Christmas period.
She said: ‘The relationships between the residents’ families and the nursery are amazing, especially with the support that they give us.
‘We’re in such a deprived area and it’s well known how much families can struggle at this time of the year, but the older adults’ families have been fantastic at adding to donations, supporting fairs and fundraising.
‘It’s not just what goes on under this roof, it’s how it’s managing to reach out to the whole community.’
It is the comfort of knowing they will get to spend time with the young ones that makes local families happy to send their relatives to the facility, says Tammy McDougall, a social care worker at the home.
Ms McDougall, whose niece is also a member of the nursery, said: ‘For most people it’s a big part of their decision-making when they come into care. They want to come here specifically because we have the nursery and they can spend time with the kids.
Younger and older members of the local community are forming new bonds
‘We’ve had that feedback directly from families. Even my niece will tell me how much she has loved spending time with the adults when I see her out of work. She loves it so much.’
The staff behind the intergenerational initiative are following research which shows the best time to shape a child’s personality, views and social values is between the ages of two and five.
So while the youngsters may only spend two hours per week with the residents, it is hoped that these relationships will help build a greater respect for elders in the area.
Fife Council’s spokeswoman for education, Councillor Cara Hilton, said: ‘The village is bringing generations together in the local community.
‘By bringing young and old together, a new community is being created which promotes a greater understanding and respect between the generations.
‘It’s truly inspirational to see and it’s something we want to do more of in the future.’
As the session concludes and the children finish up their snacks, they give each resident a warm embrace in the form of a great big cuddle.
They are headed back to the nursery now, but they already cannot wait to return. Each of them blows the residents a kiss when they walk out and says a gentle ‘see you next time’.
