Would you take your toddler to a class with older people taking part too..?

[Sleepingboy]

Hi!

Quick question....I run cookery classes for preschoolers and i have the opportunity to hold the class in a residential care home for older people. Lots of care home like the community to use their big spaces for groups and classes.

One such place i have contacted has asked if their residents could join in with the class also. I was actually going to ask them if they would like me to provide cookery classes for their residents at a separate time in a class just for them as part of their activity program that most care homes have. I had not considered joining the two groups.

My questions:

1. Would it put you off the class being held in a care home?

(It is a preschool cookery class - no actual cooking, just preparing the dish and then packaging it up to take home to pop in oven, for example or some dishes are ready to eat)

1. Would you prefer just parent/carer and toddler classes with no residents also taking part making the recipe in the class?

1. Would you like to join a class where the toddlers and residents do the class together?

Thank guys! Would love some feedback!

depends on the care home tbh. Is it a home of nice old ladies, knitting etc OR a home with people with dementia/ possibly unpredictable, wanderers who may be distressed at children ......Plus some people with these things may swear, kick, get undressed , smear shit anywhere lol!!

I would do it as seperate classes .

I think it would be beneficial to both pre schoolers and elderly residents to have the opportunity to mix.

HOWEVER I wonder whether you'd be able to give both sets the different kinds of supervision and assistance they need if they're together.

So on balance I think I'd say keep them separate for the class, but maybe try to arrange some other joint activity?

Research shows that both children and older people benefit from doing this sort of activity together.

I attend a music class with my toddler and baby that is in a care home and the residents join in too. Everyone loves it.

However cooking I could imagine may be a little more tricky. I would definitely do a trial and see how it goes!

I think the mixed toddler / elderly care sessions I have seen have been a wonderful success (I say that as someone who not only has a 3yo but also a mother with dementia who participates at one of these sessions at her day care sessions) but I would say that the care home need to make sure their residents have enough assistance from care staff to participate properly just like the kids will have their parents to help.

I did go to a baby sensory class at a care home. However I found it really awkward because I didnt know the cognitive ability of the residents so didnt know how to talk to them. The leaders of the class treated them like toddlers which I found weird and I didn't want to be patronising. I can see that it could be beneficial long term as you get to know individual residents but I preferred the normal sensory sessions with just toddlers.

Hmm some great points. I know that it has proven to be beneficial for older people however the parents of the preschoolers would be the ones I want to attract as they are paying ! So much as I'd like to foster great relationships and improve the day of a resident, ultimately it's a business and I need to choose the options that makes the most money .... so therefore the most popular choice of the parent!

Hence asking!

Brilliant idea!!

tbh I think such a venue would be off putting
I'd be thinking (especially re joint classes) why am I paying for this and who is benefiting?
If it was some kind of shared space (say a community centre which hosted a day centre for the elderly as well as a playgroup) then I could imagine occassional shared sessions, eg lets show our elderly friends what we have made this week. But otherwise not.

Joint sessions I don't think would work, the needs of the learners would be too different if not incompatible.

Having toddler groups in care seems to be taking off...I've seen two posts on Facebook for these just this evening!

what about the poor care staff? they`re run ragged! toddlers AND elderly?

Parents would be with the toddlers! I don't think they drop their two year old off and pop to the shops leaving them alone with the 90 year olds and care staff!

I think it's a great idea, but something to bear in mind is that care homes are often riddled with D&V, chest infections etc. Even if all the residents taking part were well it would be better if it was held in a part of the building that isn't communal.

It'd put me off, I think. I'd be scared of a toddler running into an old person and knocking them over!