Contact: Lisa Lipsey, Activity Director
Office Phone: 858/674-9719
Cell Phone: 760/822-3764
E-Mail: lisa@sunshinecare.com
“Reaching Across Generations”
Intergenerational Program Provides Unique Learning Experience
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(1) First grader Victoria Van Meter, age 6, teams up with Hilda Eilman, age 79, in a guessing game.
(2) Pre-K Student Max D’Agnese, age 5, gets some help in choosing colors for an art project from
resident Herb Young, age 86.
(Photo credit: Carol Jansen D’Agnese)
POWAY, CA (North San Diego County) – January 2010 – When St. Michael’s School principal Kathleen Mock began searching
for a program close to school grounds that would provide ways for the lower elementary school
children to serve others, she had no idea the answer would be in the school’s own back yard.
“Our mission as a Catholic school is not only to provide an excellent academic education, but to
provide opportunities for our students to become involved community members, as this is one of our
school’s five School-wide Learning Expectations for each of our students.” said Mock. “We had been
searching for a project, so when Lisa Lipsey, the Activity Director from Sunshine Care called with the
idea of their intergenerational program called The Great Friendship Link, we knew it would be the
perfect fit.” added Mock.
The National Council on Aging defines intergenerational programs as activities or programs that
increase cooperation between any two generations. They involve the sharing of skills, knowledge, or
experience between old and young.
“We chose St. Michael’s School because we were impressed that they focus on the whole student
and that part of their mission is to educate about service and compassion,” said Lipsey. “We were
even more delighted at the high level of interest and commitment of their educators. We hosted an
event to share an overview of our program and tour our homes. We had full-capacity attendance
during the summer, when the teachers were all still on vacation,“ Lipsey added.
Using a rotating schedule, preschoolers through third grade visit the assisted living community, which means the residents have a classroom of student visitors every week. The students are paired with
residents to learn about current curriculum topics, play games, solve riddles, or just sit and read a
good book. For example, when the 3rd graders were learning about the human body, their visit
included activities such as stretching exercises, learning how to take their own pulse, and eating a
bone-building snack of milk and bananas.
Not only are the students benefitting by learning how to help others, but Lipsey is also seeing a
difference in her residents’ behavior. “One of the residents who tends to have a grumpy and firm
personality is now more relaxed since the students have started to visit. I have even seen him
complimenting his kindergarten partner’s reading skills,” noted Lipsey.
Interestingly, a large majority of the Sunshine Care residents are former teachers, a possible reason
for the program’s success. “They still have their long-term skills, so this is a great opportunity for the
residents to teach someone something they know about; it provides an avenue for them [the seniors]
to give back, too!” Lipsey said.
Since the Intergenerational Program began, Sunshine Care has also experienced an increase in
volunteers from St. Michael’s Church and School. One parent, who has a service dog, is scheduling
time with the residents. Even St. Michael’s tiniest parishioners, the babies and toddlers of the “Playgroup in the Park” mother’s group, visit one time a month for a story and snack time. “The little
ones are too small to really interact with others but the residents enjoy tickling their tiny feet and
watching them play with their toys” said Michelle Lyons, the group’s coordinator.
ABOUT SUNSHINE CARE, POWAY, CALIFORNIA (North San Diego County)
Established in 1990, Sunshine Care is a community of assisted-living homes on a 28-acre Campus in
Poway, California. This unique alternative for assisted living specializes in Alzheimer’s and Dementia
care while providing an environment with all the comforts and reminders of home. Sunshine care
provides the highest level of individualized care and attention that we would want for our own loved
ones. Sunshine Care is also on the cutting edge of activities and going green, from our
intergenerational programming to our organic farming. The campus has an on-site greenhouse and
orchards where organic fruits, vegetables and herbs are grown from seed. For more information,
please visit http://www.sunshinecare.com
ABOUT ST. MICHAEL’S SCHOOL, POWAY, CALIFORNIA (North San Diego County)
Established in 1964, nationally recognized St. Michael’s School educates students in Preschool
through 8th grade and is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
and the Western Catholic Education Association (WCEA). The mission of the school is to encourage
students to embrace the rich heritage of the Catholic faith tradition in an educational setting of
compassion, justice, charity, and service. The administration and teaching staff, together with the
parents, are dedicated to providing an education that will result in the formation of the whole person -
spiritual, moral, emotional, intellectual, and physical. St. Michael’s School admits students of any race,
color, racial and ethnic origin. For more information, please visit: http://www.stmichaels-school.org
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