Ōhaupō rest home residents reunite with friends at preschool for first time since lockdown

Children from Grasshopper's read with one of the residents from Radius Windsor Court rest home during their visit to the centre. Photo / Valu Maka.

For the first time since the Covid-19 lockdown, Radius Windsor Court Resthome residents were able to visit their friends at Ōhaupō's Grasshoppers Early Learning Centre.

In March 2019 children from the early learning centre started visiting the residents at the local rest home.

The visits were put in place by preschoolers team leader Sheraya Theron and the rest homes diversional therapist Kerri-Ann Tinkler in an effort to combat loneliness in the older generation.

During their visit, rest home residents read books, painted, did drawings, played with play dough and got outside with the children. Photo / Valu Maka.

"Seeing all the children is really good for them, it makes them all so happy," says Kerri-Ann.

"Its good therapy for them, it helps with loneliness and also getting out of the rest home."

Usually the two centres were visiting each other once a month, but Covid-19 put a stop to that.

The visits commenced again though last Thursday with residents spending a few hours at the early learning centre reading, painting, drawing and playing with the children.

Rest home residents Terry Dunlop (right) and his wife Elaine enjoying their time with the children at the early learning centre. Photo / Valu Maka.

The early learning centre has already planned their next visit which will be in the first week of November.

For rest home resident Terry Dunlop, visiting the children takes him back to a happy time.

"Being amongst all these children brings back 50 years of happiness and takes me back many years," Terry says.

"All these children are so happy and it's fantastic."