Rose Hill Link with elderly

Rose Hill School creates link with local Care Home, after loneliness in the elderly cited “major public health concern”

This term Rose Hill School in Tunbridge Wells has developed a connection with Mount Ephraim House, a local residential care home. Children from Year 4 have volunteered to go and spend time with residents each Tuesday after school. The initiative coincides with statements made by Professor Keith Willett, director of acute care with NHS England, who suggested that loneliness in old people could be more damaging than smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

The scheme, set up by Year 4 form teacher, Rebecca Roberts, is part of the school’s PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Education) programme that runs across each year group. Rebecca hopes that the children’s visits inspire them to take an interest in the older generation.

Children are taken to the Home in small groups of three or four and spend time talking to and playing games with the residents. Some children have brought in photos to share, whilst others have made cakes or biscuits, played instruments or brought in special items from home to show.

Speaking about the initiative, Rebecca Roberts said “I’ve enjoyed watching the children interact with the residents and can see the benefit to both children and residents alike.”

Karen Cooper, Home Manager at Mount Ephraim House, said: “Our residents enjoy seeing children and visitors from the local community. They have really loved the visits from Rose Hill and seeing the children each week brightens up their day. It is so important to maintain links with the local community and dispel the perception that Care Homes are not nice places to be.”

PSHE forms a significant part of the school’s academic programme and children learn to be more aware of other people’s needs and lives. It is an enriching aspect of school life and the link with the Mount Ephraim House, is a practical way of enforcing some of the values taught at the school.

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