The Amavir residence, one of the elderly centers of Lanzarote, which has its residences in Tías and Haría, has organized intergenerational camp days during the week of June 26 to 30, 'Camping with my grandparents', in which the two generations come together to carry out various activities and enjoy each other's company.
With the arrival of summer and the end of school, children between five and twelve years old have come to the residence to share time with the elderly, many of them family members, such as their grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and also some children of the center's workers. These days they have had various activities such as a bingo, gymkhanas, painting and clay workshops, bracelet workshop, therapeutic garden, a magician's performance and even a "summer party" that closed a week of fun for children and the elderly on Friday.
A pioneering initiative at the national level but which is already in its second edition, after the great reception it had last summer of 2022. Such is the enthusiasm that the elderly have with these initiatives that "it is an injection of oxygen for them", says one of the workers of the residence, Demelsa Fernández. In addition, for the children it has also been "a great stimulation", until "my son does not want it to end", confesses Fernández. For the workers "it has given us an advantage" in terms of being able to "bring our children", now that they have finished school "many of us do not have so much help to place them", she adds.
One of the elderly who lives in the residence recognizes that "it's crazy what I feel for the children" and they give me "a lot of affection" and that he hopes to have given them "self-love", comments with much emotion, Tomás Medina. Another of them, Rafael López confesses that the experience "has reminded him of when he was a child" and that the children have given him "joy and a change of experiences".
One of the oldest residents, Carmen Díaz, 91 years old, points out that "I love that the children come to see us", also "we are delighted that they come, we more than them, we want them to keep coming", she adds with a smile.
Pilar Rodríguez, who has been in the residence for three months and has 22 grandchildren, is in the workshops "as if she were with the warmth of my children", thus "enjoying the company" of the little ones, she explains.
The children also agree with the elderly in their learning. Saúl Hernández, is a thirteen-year-old boy who is repeating this year in the workshops, but now with his grandmother, one of the residents in Amavir. The young man makes it clear that the elderly "bring wisdom", since "they share with the youngest everything they know". They also do their bit by "entertaining" the elderly.
"It would be cool if they did one next year and I would come," confesses Alexia, one of the girls who has participated this year
One of the girls who has participated, Alexia Cedrés Suárez, the cousin of one of the workers, with ten years old comments that "they have been playing" with the elderly throughout the week and that she wants to repeat the "beautiful" experience: "it would be cool if they did one next year and I would come". During the week "we have been able to share with them what we feel" and let us learn about "how we can react when something happens to them", she adds.
The director of the center, Sandra Llorente, makes it clear that the objective of the workshops is to "promote active aging", since it has been shown that "people who have intergenerational activities are happier than people of the same age who do not have that contact". She also reveals that after the week "the elderly themselves ask us to keep the children coming" and occasionally, the workers "bring them back to continue having contact".
Among the most outstanding activities that have been carried out have been: "physical activity and bingo workshops" and a rather curious workshop such as "cures and bandages".
"Next year we will repeat for sure," says the director of the center, Sandra Llorente
The director anticipates that "next year we will repeat for sure", also due to the "reception it has had in the children", who are "delighted" and when the workshops end, "they want to return the next day".]
