Honorary Grandparents

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Concordia Academy’s kindergarten class visits Montclair Nursing and Rehabilitation Center

There is nothing like the love of a grandparent. Whether it’s sneaking treats when mom and dad say no, sharing worldly advice, or a never-ending supply of hugs and kisses, a grandparent never fails to make our lives a little bit better. The relationships we build with our elders are important ones, especially as a child. Some people are lucky enough to have their own grandparents and some rely on others to play that role, but there’s always something we can learn from them. Just ask the children from Concordia Academy’s kindergarten class who visit Montclair Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Omaha, Nebraska each month.

These children see the residents as their honorary grandmas and grandpas. The visits are held in Montclair Rehabilitation’s dining room and the residents jump at the opportunity to spend time with their honorary grandchildren when they arrive. They enjoy arts and crafts, tell stories, and have lunch together too. The time together is so popular with the residents that some, who normally don’t care for group activities, end up being the most spirited and interactive with the children. After many hugs at the end of the day, when the kids board the bus to head back to school, the smiles on our residents’ faces spread from ear to ear as they wave goodbye.

It’s moments like these that help everyone at the care center understand how these mutually beneficial visits impact both the residents and the children. “To my knowledge, Montclair is the first and only skilled nursing/short-term rehab facility in the Omaha area to have the privilege of all-day kindergarten,” said Donna Gay, the Activities Director for Montclair. “What this has done for our residents is more than I could have ever wished for! Many of our residents don’t have grandchildren or great-grandchildren that visit due to the miles between them. And, likewise, many of the kindergarteners don’t have grandparents living nearby. These visits have filled a void that we didn’t even know was missing!”

Donna is a big reason why these highly anticipated visits happen and has seen the positivity they bring to Montclair. She was very aware of the impact that even one hour for one day a month had on the residents. Montclair did not previously have the benefit of an intergenerational activity, so when the kindergartners started visiting, the residents took to the kids like they were part of their own family. In fact, the visits were so popular with both the residents and the students that their teacher suggested they increase the visit time from an hour to an all-day schedule. The time increase had an incredible effect on the “grandmas and grandpas” and gave them the time to become more involved. Since then, Donna has felt residents coming alive and warming up to the kiddos even more. The relationships being built are genuine, and for Donna, if she could dare to dream, there would be Concordia Kindergarten at Montclair every Thursday.

We’re so grateful that Montclair spearheaded such a successful and ongoing event in their community – they are currently the only place in Omaha that hosts such a unique opportunity for their residents. Events like these are what bring a greater sense of diversity to Consulate Health Care and remind us how much we can learn from some unlikely mentors. It’s clear that the impact of these visits is a two-way street, and both the residents and the children benefit. Our biggest thanks goes to Consulate Health Care employees like Donna who show such a passion for creating and delivering engaging events for the residents. We could all probably stand to let our inner child out now and again!