One Kansas town fostering intergenerational connections | Derby Business News

That’s because it’s also a school.

This rural farm town, with a population of 436, recently welcomed nursing home residents and students into its new intergenerational facility, called the Logan Intergenerational Family Education Center. By bringing different age groups together under the same roof, LIFE Center administrators are hoping to foster connection and learning across generations.

Inside, Betty Albright — age 90 — is laughing and making May Day baskets with three of her friends: Jensen, Harper and Harper, ages 11 and 12.

“Betty, when’s your birthday?” Harper asks.

“October,” Betty says. “Why, what are you gonna do?”

“I will sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to you on that day, OK?” Harper replies.

As more young people move away from rural Kansas, many communities are aging. That can mean increased social isolation for older adults who stay. The LIFE Center is an effort to improve their quality of life while teaching kids crucial skills.

The setup lets nursing home residents volunteer in classrooms and help with science projects.

And it provides learning opportunities for kids. One class is interviewing residents and recording their life stories. High school students can job shadow physical therapists and speech-language pathologists, and a few work part-time as nursing assistants and dietary aides.

Down the hall, 6-year-old Rhett is practicing his reading with 63-year-old Tom Goscha. Goscha has pulmonary fibrosis, and he’s lived in the nursing home for five years. He’s a favorite among the kids.

“My nieces and nephews are all grown and gone,” Goscha said. “They’ve got kids of their own, but they’re in Imperial, Neb., Texas and Omaha, Neb., and so it’s fun to have the little ones around.”

The LIFE Center is the brainchild of school Principal David Kirkendall, who says he’s envisioned creating a facility like it for decades.

Now that the LIFE Center is open after years of planning and construction, he says it offers unique opportunities.

“If there’s a resident that is recovering from a stroke, and they’re learning eye-hand coordination, they can come in with my preschoolers who are also learning eye-hand coordination, and just kick a ball back and forth,” he said. “It helps both groups.”

Kirkendall thinks Logan could be a model for other communities trying to improve well-being. So do researchers at Kansas State University. They’re studying whether the new facility can boost social skills and academic achievement in kids and reduce cognitive decline and depression in residents.

“Having Logan step forward with a very innovative idea that’s not often [seen] in the United States is exciting,” said Natalie Barlett, an assistant professor of psychology at K-State who is studying its impact on students.

Teresa McComb, the nursing home’s administrator, says she’s already seen benefits in the 36 adults who live here.

“Even residents that are unable to verbalize how much they like the kids coming over, their faces light up. They smile,” she said. “They’re just in better moods.”

Research indicates intergenerational contact can reduce inflammation and improve psychological health in older adults. Shannon Jarrott, a social work professor at Ohio State University, says children also have a lot to gain.

“One of the misnomers is this idea that these intergenerational programs are really for the benefit of the older adults,” she said. “In reality, if the program is a good one, the children are going to get just as much out of this as the older adults will.”

Younger kids, she says, gain crucial social-emotional skills and confidence. Teenagers — who, data indicates, are increasingly isolated and have increased mental health challenges — can develop perspective and lasting relationships.

There are also challenges, like how to keep residents safe during flu season, and how to keep them busy when school breaks for the summer.

Logan’s school year is almost over, but Goscha thinks he and his younger friends will manage.

“(The kids) tell me, ‘We’re going to come over and see you this summer.’ And I said, ‘OK, that’ll work. You can come over and visit.’

“And I’ve got a jar of candy, and they’re like, ‘So will you have candy this summer?’ I said, ‘I’ll always have candy.’”