Temiskaming Lodge has run an intergenerational program for three years that matches residents who have dementia and Alzheimer disease with Grade 8 students from the local elementary school. Pictured is the group of residents and students who participated last year.

Kathy Ruddy of Temiskaming Lodge in Haileybury says an intergenerational program at the facility has worked well because of the long-term commitment from the people who participate. Part of that is due to the effort devoted to the pairing of residents and volunteers.

"Sometimes it can be a taxing experience to come into a new facility and volunteer," says Ruddy.

"If you can apply their interests to available programming...I usually try to match them up."

For example, if a volunteer likes horticulture she'll pair him or her with a resident who enjoys the greenhouse. It works for the residents because "they are doing things they're familiar with," says Ruddy. The residents who participate in the program have dementia or Alzheimer disease. The one-on-one time with a volunteer is a beneficial experience, says Ruddy, explaining residents don't find volunteers as threatening as staff. Volunteers are spending time with them because they want to and aren't providing personal care or assisting them with eating like a staff member would.

"It's a calming effect that way," says Ruddy. She notes on the day volunteers are there residents are more subdued.

The intergeneration program at the Jarlette Health Services home has been running for three years. It involves the local elementary school and 15 Grade 8 students who are chosen to participate each year. The home also has six older volunteers from the community or the facility who participate. Other partners include the Temiskaming Lodge Volunteer Auxiliary, Older Adults Centres' Association of Ontario, Timmins-Porcupine District Alzheimer Society and staff and residents at the facility.

Volunteers are provided training by the facility and also by the Alzheimer Society on expectations, dementia and communication skills. Students visit residents weekly and at the end of each session volunteers complete a journal entry of their experience that day.

"This program has provided an injection of enthusiasm and youth to our weekly program and has had a positive impact on the residents' quality of life," says Ruddy. She notes the students gain greatly too. "Children benefit in a way that they're quite comfortable with seniors."

Ruddy notes some return to the home during the summer months and others later complete their volunteer hours required in high school at the facility. Ruddy says they also "learn the volunteer experience young."