Students make ‘Grandfriends’ for Queensland Seniors Month

New friendships have been blooming between Murrumba Downs students and retirees during Queensland Seniors Month as part of a local intergenerational program.

The Undurba Connect intergenerational program, now in its third year, has brought together students from Undurba State School with residents at Bolton Clarke’s Inverpine Retirement Village just over the road.

For Elaine and Bud, the program had a personal connection, providing the perfect opportunity to deepen existing family relationships and spend more time with their great granddaughter Tahlullah.

“Our grandchildren came to this school and now that Tahlullah is here we thought it would be a fantastic opportunity to get involved in the program – she asked us to join it with her,” Elaine said.

“The kids would either come to us across the road or we would come here to the school and play different games or activities.

“Other times we would do a bit of trivia about the history of Australia or we would share things about how it was for us to go to school – I grew up on farms and rode to school and the kids loved the idea of that!”

To wrap up the program for this year, the students, parents and “grandies” enjoyed a lunch together sharing their favourite moments from their regular sessions.

“I think programs like these are a brilliant idea because a lot of the younger people don’t know how we grew up, so this gives us the opportunity to exchange experiences in our lives,” Elaine said.

“We all have a great relationship with the students here. Every time we meet them here, they all come up to give us all a cuddle and it’s so lovely.”

Queensland Seniors Month is celebrated throughout October to highlight the ongoing contribution of older people in our communities and encourage social connection.