A new Andrew Fleck early learning centre at Perley Health is bringing some of the youngest members of the community together with seniors and veterans. The centre, which has space for 49 children, is designed to create regular opportunities for babies and toddlers to interact with residents. “We have full expectation that it’s going to be all kinds of interactions we know we’re going to be successful when the children know the seniors’ names and the seniors know the children’s names,” said Kim Hiscott, the CEO of Andrew Fleck Children’s Services. For resident Ghislaine Savard, those interactions are already making an impact. “I almost started to cry. I was so impressed,” Savard said after children visited residents, singing and handing out sunflowers. Savard said having children in the building brings a different kind of energy to life at Perley. “To go and visit these little people and play with them… oh my gosh!” she said. But the idea isn’t just to put two generations under one roof. The goal is to make these moments part of everyday life. “It’s about belonging, it’s about personal relationships, it’s about developing a sense of purpose and for people the chance to participate in community life,” said Lloyd Campbell, Chair of the Board of Directors for Perley Health. Researchers are also watching closely to see what that kind of connection can do. “Is it decreasing loneliness for some of these seniors? Is it giving them purpose and we’re also going to do some observational work to see the actual interactions in action,” said Dr. Annie Robitaille, the Commissionaires Ottawa Research Chair at Perley Health. For the children, it means growing up around another generation and for Savard, it means a few more reasons to smile. “I hope I get to babysit,” she said.
