Old school house becomes a center for young and old

Aging, June-July, 1985

The old Rockledge school building in Cheltenham, Pennsylvania is once again playing a role in Changing ways of thinking in the town's residents and in creating a sense of community. Reopened as a community center, the building now houses an adult day care center, a preschool and other community programs, affording a unique experience for preschoolers, senior citizens and other town residents to share facilities and activities and to help one another.

The Adult Day Health Center provides a professionally staffed therapeutic program for older adults who are ill and require weekday care and supervision. Creative Beginnings in a state-licensed preschool day care program and kindergarten serving children from six weeks to six years. Developed by the administrators of Jeanes Hospital, American Oncologic Hospital and Fox Chase Cancer Center as a nursery school for the children of their employees, the program was recently expanded to enroll children of other area residents.

Together the two programs have developed ideas for activities that involve both age groups, as well as plans for special events that bring in other adults and children from the community. Eileen Morarity, director of the Adult Day Health Center noted that the staff arranges for art displays from local museums, dance performances, drama productions and special exhibitions that attract people of all ages from the town.

On a more regular basis, the preschoolers and the seniors get together for holidays, birthdays and joint programs, according to Barbara Mishkin, the Center's activities director. The boys enjoy woodworking with the men -- building rocking horses, cradles and other objects -- while the girls like sewing, weaving, decorating tiles and other projects with the women. Together they create fine handicrafts to decorate the rooms and to sell at the Jeanes Hospital Fair, Christmas bazaars and other functions.

Three-year-olds, Sam Graeber and Coleen Redlinter, have become particularly attached to John Kalita who, because of a stroke, can barely talk. At first, they were apprehensive and wanted to know why John could not speak. But after seeing him in group activities and out on the playground, they quickly became interested in him rather than being afraid. The children delight in showing Mr. Kalita their drawings and now talk to him as they would to any adult.

Anne Marie Morales, supervisor of the Creative Beginnings preschool said, "We feel very fortunate to be in the same center as the adult group because our children really benefit from the interaction."

She said some of the very active youngsters are calmed by an older adult, while other preschoolers enjoy storytelling, reading, exercises, crafts and woodworking with the senior citizens. Even the infants, she commented, appreciate the nurturing arms of an older person. "The benefits are immeasurable. Each gains from the experience. We are in a rare set-up and want to take full advantage of the opportunity."

The teachers, Ms. Morales explained, help the children to respect the elderly for their personal skills as well as their link to the past. Since the children see the elderly on a daily basis, it is hoped that they will get better acquainted with the aging process and that some of the fears and myths they have about growing old will be dispelled.

Being in the same facility, Ms. Morales explained, enables even little children to gain some understanding of the stability and continuity of aging.