A community art project is connecting seniors and students to try and get rid of stereotypes.
Five students from Balfour Collegiate High School and five seniors from the Regina Senior Community Centre were paired off to work together on a series of paintings.
Jennifer Stevens one of the Project Organizers said that the project was so rewarding for both parties.
“We found that the seniors really, really liked working with the students. It brought so many smiles to their faces, it was touching.”
The project is the brainchild of a group of nursing students to break down barriers potentially instilled by ageism-related attitudes.
Alexandra Banilevic one of the Project Organizers adds that students were taught about ageism and shown that seniors are capable of more than they might think.
“Seniors have a lot to give back, they’ve got a lot of knowledge and a lot of different skills that aren’t taught to younger people anymore.”
The eight-piece mural came together like a puzzle, representing important memories from each of the participants life.
Helping the seniors to relive those special moments, share their knowledge and wisdom with a younger generation, and create new memories in the process.
Clara Schulz a senior and participant of the program says her painting brought back a moment of her youth and helped her find a connection to Britney, the student she was painting with.
“It is a beautiful memory, even now when we were painting it, it just became alive again.”
Schulz added that they plan to keep in touch even though the project has ended.
Forming a strong bond between the perhaps unlikely friends.
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