Seattle Kids Going to Preschool in Nursing Home

How do we make sure the oldest and youngest of us aren’t being lost in the shuffle of our busy lives? The Mount in Seattle, Washington, is taking a back-to-the-future approach to the modern problem. Loneliness and depression are leading issues for many elderly in the U.S. And the wisdom and experience of older folks aren’t being passed on to our children like it was when multi-generation communities were the norm. The solution – recreate those communities in a new way. That’s the idea behind The Mount – a combination nursing home and preschool.  

  Studies show that kids coming out of the program are more likely to see elders as important, valuable members of our communities than their peers. They become empathetic, earlier. For the older residents, the kids literally keep them young. Instances of loneliness and depression decrease while physical and mental capabilities improve. The idea might sound novel but it’s actually a return to a part of the human experience lost in modern times. Humans are historically intergenerational and now we’re understanding just how important that might be for all of us. If you liked this read, check out our piece on 90 year-old badass, Norma Jean.