Now then… let me tell you about an intergenerational project involving pupils from Mexborough High School and older adults with dementia at Mexborough Lodge Day Centre.

Dancer Hayley Beecher and musician Janet Wood had initial meetings with each group to introduce the project before the two groups became one for six further sessions at Mexborough Lodge where they found out more about each other through song, dance and playing instruments.

Material was carefully chosen to spark interest and conversation between the participants and many made suggestions of tunes to be included in a songbook. The group also came up with a collective name - The Mexborough Glee Club.

Songs from all generations involved were adapted to include new lyrics about the group – for example The Who’s “My Generation” became a framework for thoughts about what made each generation unique.

Ukuleles and handbells were added to George Formby’s “Leaning on A Lamppost,” and dance moves from across the years were put to songs as diverse as Bill Haley’s “Rock Around The Clock” and “Dynamite” by Taio Cruz.

Sometimes one group would be teaching another, but more often they would all be learning and creating together.

Successes included a CD of two of the songs and some of the young people choosing to come to the session even though the rest of their year group was given the afternoon off.

The sessions were enjoyable and there was a sense of trust and growing affection between the participants. Looking around the circle and seeing the older people get to grips with lyrics like “Do you ever feel like a plastic bag?”from Katy Perry’s Firework, and a teenage boy get over his embarrassment at being asked to jive, was genuinely heartwarming.

Our monitoring tools evidenced changes in perceptions, attitudes and improved confidence.

Here’s some feedback from the Mexborough Glee Club about the experience
 

• I benefitted from this because I feel more confident around older people.
• I now know more what older people like and how they are with things, I think I now have more self-confidence.
• Our clients' behaviour changed from withdrawn and scared, to happy and singing and smiling. There were two clients in particular that had no motivation at all and it was very surprising to see them get up and dance with younger people.
• True increase in self-esteem and relationships with each other.
• Young people had a real sense of ‘respect’ for older people and are no longer afraid of talking to them.
• Young people realised that they needn’t be afraid of interacting with dementia sufferers. They had perceptions before on various levels which were dependant on their family circumstances.  They left with a better understanding.

Future plans for the project include continued partnership working between the school and the day centre including volunteer placements and training.

The short timescale of the project means that we just scratched the surface of what might be possible with longer-term work.

It would be amazing and possibly groundbreaking to sustain the work over several months or years, growing a model of cutting edge intergenerational practice that truly challenges misconceptions around age and ageing.