Our Lady Queen of Peace students use technology to stay in contact with elders living at an aged care facility.
Year 6 students from the Parramatta Diocese Greystanes school are involved in an innovative intergenerational learning program with elders living at Southern Cross Care (SCC).
This program has helped overcome the challenge of the COVID-19 visiting restrictions enforced on aged care facilities, by continuing the students’ participation in weekly prayer sessions and reciprocal learning activities with elders via video-conferencing.
These interactions have occurred not only during school time, but also during Learning at Home times and the school holidays.
Before Mother’s Day earlier this month, Greg Cronan (developer of the Intergenerational Learning Program) encouraged the students to demonstrate their ‘faith in action’ to the mothers, grandmothers and great grandmothers at SCC.
This was achieved in engaging in meaningful conversations and interviewing these special ‘mums’ – via video calls – to get information to write their biographies for English class. Through the practical generosity of the students and teachers, they prepared 28 Mother’s Day gifts. These were presented to the appreciative ‘mums’ as a surprise gift on Mother's Day.
In collaboration with SCC’s Wellness coordinator Janine Parsons, the students knew what their elder friends would like as gifts.
They ensured the gifts were ready in time for Mother’s Day, creating a slice of ‘heaven on earth’ for all involved and most importantly for the special mums at SCC.
School principal Michael Hopley said the program was a great way for the students to further develop skills in empathy and pastoral care, while developing relationships … ‘which is what our Catholic schools are all about’.
Image: One of the Southern Cross Care ‘mums’ who received Mother’s Day gifts from Our Lady Queen of Peace students.