By Kim St. Pierre, Program Director and Lead Teacher at Clover Preschool and Childcare
When people think about senior living, they sometimes imagine residents becoming disconnected from younger generations. My experience has been just the opposite.
For more than 20 years, I’ve had the privilege of watching preschool children and our residents build genuine friendships that create purpose, belonging and meaningful connections. Those relationships don’t develop through occasional visits or holiday performances. They’re built through consistency, shared experiences and the simple act of spending time together.
At Clover Preschool, located within Clover Health Care in Auburn, Maine, our children know the residents as their “Grandfriends.” That name says everything about the relationships we’ve built. These aren’t visitors coming to entertain residents. They’re friends learning from one another every week.
The Power of Everyday Connection
Intergenerational relationships create opportunities for connection, learning and mutual growth for everyone involved.
For seniors, spending time with young children often rekindles treasured memories of raising their own families. Sharing stories, traditions and life experiences gives many residents a renewed sense of purpose while reminding them that they still have so much to offer.
The excitement begins the moment the children arrive.
As soon as our preschoolers walk into one of the neighborhoods, smiles spread across residents’ faces. In our Embrace Neighborhoods, we often hear excited voices calling out, “Our kids are here! Our kids are here!”
Those moments never get old.
Even residents who rarely leave their apartments can be part of those connections. Sometimes a small group of children will stop by with a handmade picture or simply wish someone a wonderful day. Those visits may only last a few minutes, but they often become the highlight of someone’s day.
I like to think we sprinkle a little kindness throughout the community every day.
Meaningful Relationships Don’t Happen by Accident
Our preschool has been part of this community since 1975, when the owner at the time noticed the remarkable interactions between his young children and the residents. What began as a small childcare program has grown into a preschool centered around play-based learning and intentional intergenerational engagement.
That word, intentional, makes all the difference.
Successful intergenerational programs aren’t about bringing children into a community once in a while. They become part of the rhythm of daily life. Residents and children see one another regularly, participate in familiar routines and build authentic relationships over time.
Consistency creates trust. Trust creates friendship.
Whether it’s reading together, celebrating holidays, creating art, sharing music or attending a pizza party, each experience builds on the last. Over time, those shared moments become lasting relationships.
Play Connects Every Generation
Some of our most meaningful interactions happen through play.
Music, nursery rhymes, board games, Play-Doh, art projects, storytelling and even parachute games create opportunities for laughter, creativity and conversation. This play meets people where they are.
For preschool children, it’s how they naturally learn about the world. For seniors, including those living with cognitive impairment, playful events encourage conversation, creativity, self-expression and social connection in ways that never feel forced.
One of my favorite moments happened during a parachute game. As everyone lifted the parachute overhead, one of our housekeepers pushed a resident using a wheelchair underneath to switch places with a child. Watching generations laugh together brought one resident’s family member to tears.
It was a beautiful reminder that meaningful moments often come from the simplest experiences.
For Residents, Purpose Doesn’t Retire
One of the greatest gifts these relationships offer seniors is purpose.
Several of our Grandfriends volunteer in the preschool on a regular schedule. One resident came every Thursday afternoon to read stories to the children. She treated her volunteer time just like a job, calling if she couldn’t make it or adjusting her schedule around appointments.
Having somewhere to be and someone counting on you matters at every stage of life.
Another resident who plays the piano beautifully is preparing to begin giving lessons to one of our preschoolers. Moments like these remind us that knowledge, talent and wisdom don’t disappear with age. They simply need opportunities to be shared.
A person’s sense of purpose doesn’t diminish as they grow older. It remains a fundamental part of living a meaningful life.
Children Grow Alongside Their Grandfriends
The benefits extend far beyond our residents.
Children who spend time with seniors naturally develop empathy, patience, compassion and respect. They naturally learn to interact with people who use wheelchairs, walkers or who may be experiencing cognitive impairment because these experiences are simply part of everyday life.
Many common misconceptions disappear before they ever take root.
Our children quickly learn that their Grandfriends are funny, creative, loving and full of interesting stories. At the same time, residents discover that children aren’t disruptive. They’re curious, playful and eager to connect.
One little boy became fascinated with a resident who played guitar during our visits. After spending time with his Grandfriend, he went home and asked his mother if he could learn to play the guitar too.
That kind of inspiration can’t be planned. It grows naturally from genuine relationships.
Building Communities Where Everyone Belongs
Families often tell us how much these experiences mean to them.
I remember one daughter watching her father interact with our preschoolers during a craft project. She became emotional as she watched him smile and laugh with the children. She thanked me because she hadn’t seen that smile in quite some time.
Moments like that remind me why this work matters.
Intergenerational programming creates opportunities for friendships, purpose and belonging that add meaning to daily life for everyone involved. It helps seniors remain connected to the broader community while giving children experiences that shape how they understand aging, kindness and compassion.
My hope is that more senior living communities embrace these opportunities.
Children and seniors have more in common than many people realize. They both seek connection. They both learn through relationships. And they both have something valuable to give.
As I often say:
“We are noisy, silly, beautiful and new. We are youth guiding age, as age guides us to wisdom.”
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