Kindness never gets old

Year 12 students from North Albany Senior High School have formed meaningful intergenerational connections with residents at Juniper Korumup.

Year 12 students from North Albany Senior High School have formed meaningful intergenerational connections with residents at Juniper Korumup. 

As part of their Children, Family and Community studies, the students visited the aged care home to deliver activities including painting, conversation and karaoke, giving residents an opportunity to socialise, share stories and enjoy time with young people from their local community. 

Teacher Sam Sheridan said the Carer’s Pack project was designed to create genuine connections between generations while encouraging empathy and kindness among students. 

“We wanted to bring some real connection between the elderly and youth,” Ms Sheridan said. 

“For the residents to feel some joy, enjoy working creatively with a young person and have conversations with people outside of their normal circle. 

“It was also an opportunity for students to show kindness and care to individuals who need support and love. 

Ms Sheridan said she was incredibly proud of the way her students approached the visit. 

“I was overjoyed to see how caring, patient, enthusiastic and flexible my students were,” she said. 

“Every student fully engaged with the activities they had prepared and kindly and patiently helped their elderly person get as much out of the activities as possible.” 

The experience left a lasting impression on students, many of whom spoke about the importance of social connection for older people. 

Year 12 student Summer said spending time with residents showed her how much simple conversations can mean. 

“Going to Juniper was very eye-opening and showed me how much they appreciate having a chat,” she said. 

“One memorable moment was painting and talking with a resident named Jean. We shared stories while painting and it was really relaxing.”

Summer said seeing residents continue painting long after the session was meant to end highlighted how much they enjoyed the experience. 

Bonnie said the visit reinforced lessons about supporting different groups within the community. 

“A lot of the residents don’t get many visits, so going there was about making life more enjoyable for them and giving them someone to talk to,” she said. 

One standout moment for Bonnie was singing ABBA’s Dancing Queen during a karaoke session with residents. 

“Everyone joined in for the chorus and sang together without even looking at the lyrics,” she said.  

“It was really sweet.” 

Matilda said the excursion highlighted the importance of maintaining social connection for older generations. 

“The assistance we provided was social connection,” she said. 

“Having my grandad living in a home, I have learnt that many people get bored and have little stimulation, so it’s important we provide them with some.” 

Izzy said seeing residents smile and laugh was one of the most memorable parts of the day. 

“It showed how important it is for younger generations to interact with older generations,” she said. 

Ms Sheridan said activities like the visit help build stronger and more compassionate communities while benefiting the wellbeing of both students and residents. 

“I believe these experiences foster empathy through real-world experiences,” she said. 

“The students felt good bringing a moment of joy to the residents and helping them feel connected rather than isolated.”