'Hearts filled with joy': North Central kids visiting seniors

North Central youth have formed a partnership with elderly residents of Dove House, a care home in Regina.

"We play games with them, we paint their nails. My one friend, she plays the piano for them," Tyneesha Eaglechild, one of the youngsters involved, said.

Once a month, different groups of kids from the North Central Family Centre (NCFC) visit Dove House to provide companionship and entertainment.

"They do such a wonderful job," Darlene Trowsdale, one of the residents of Dove House, said about the visits. "They get along and we've had some evenings together. We've played cards."

The get-togethers started a few months ago.

They began after staff at Dove House heard about the high demand for a food program at the NCFC, called the food library. 

That program provides North Central residents with a variety of food items, which they can take home. The shelves, however, are quickly emptied.

"We thought the need is there. We need to help out and we need to mesh our communities together," Nicholas Chapple, vice president at Dove House, said.

So, staff, seniors and their relatives began making food hampers for the food library program.

Sandy Wankel, the NCFC's executive director, welcomed the donations and was inspired to take the relationship further.

"We thought, you know, this would be the perfect opportunity and a win-win situation," she said.

With a little bit of organizing, the NCFC now has kids from three age groups visiting the care home.

The children and seniors learn from each other, Wankel said. They play games, visit, share snacks and dance.

"Our kids and their Indigenous cultural background and family background have such a respect for elders," she said. "Anytime you put elders and children together, it's just so much joy."

Kids can't wait to go back

One highlight, for both the seniors and youth, was the polka night. They are already planning ahead to the next one. 

Trowsdale said she felt it was important for the youngsters to have these shared experiences. 

"It's very nice," she said. 

Shyanne Lavallee, a youth worker with the NCFC, agrees with the sentiment. 

"They go in there kind of shy and then they come out just with their hearts filled of joy," she said.

Lavallee accompanies them on their visits to Dove House and said it makes the kids feel like they're doing something good.

She said the kids talk about the seniors long after they leave, and they can't wait to go back.

"The kids need this. They need to be around a calm, settling environment," Lavallee said.

The residents also can't wait for the kids to come back. 

Dove House recreation coordinator Tammy De Laforest said she hopes the partnership can grow, for the sake of everyone involved. 

"The residents really love having them here — even if they're not doing anything. Even if they're just visiting."