Yours finds out how new schemes pairing older and younger people aim to reduce loneliness and increase happiness and quality of life...
SHARING IS CARING
Abi Otukoya, 31, lives in south-east London with 85-year-old John and his wife Mary, 86. They moved in together last October.
Abi says: When my landlord told me he was raising my rent by £600 a month, I started looking for a new place.
I came across an online ad for Share and Care Homeshare, which was a scheme to bring people together, often from different generations. It helped vulnerable, elderly or disabled individuals feel safe and connected to society, while providing people like me with more affordable accommodation.
The advert called for someone to live with a vulnerable elderly lady and her husband. He needed respite in caring for her and they also needed help with chores. After strict vetting and approval from Mary and John’s family, I moved in, along with my cat Angel.
John, 85, loved telling stories of courting Mary, 86, and about how the neighbourhood had changed over the years. And I kept them amused with tales of dates I’d been on. We shared a love of food, and I happily provided home-cooked meals each day. While John went off to watch rugby, I took Mary, who had dementia, out on errands.
One day, planning to take her to lunch, I asked if she’d ever been to Nando’s. She smiled and said, “No, but I’d love to go.” I’ve been living with Mary and John for four months and we’ve built a strong bond. I’ve heard John talk about me and my cat to friends, saying, “We weren’t expecting to be blessed with two Angels.” The cheap rent may have been what initially caught my eye, but it’s truly been the most rewarding experience.
ADOPT A GRANDPARENT
Nayha Gounder, 37, from Leicestershire, uses the help of a local charity to bring a grandparent-like presence to her son’s life.
Nayha says: Scrolling through Facebook, I spotted an ad for an event at a care home where parents could bring toddlers to interact with the residents. It was being hosted by a charity called Adopt a Grandparent and, as my husband Nikesh and I wanted our son Oren to have more elder influence in his life, I thought it was a great idea.
We’d been close with our late grandparents, but Oren only had a bond with one, my mum, as she was nearby. We wanted him to experience the wonderful life lessons only elderly people could teach. On the day of the event, Nikesh and I took Oren and a friend brought her little boy too. Some of the residents didn’t have children or grandkids, so their faces lit up.
Then the staff gave us lunch and, while Oren was scoffing down his chips, 93-year-old Edna sat next to him. Nikesh, 36, and I saw him shyly hand her one from his plate.
