On the occasion of the European Year 2012, over 500 school children participated in a visiting project at Malta’s largest long-term care establishment, St. Vincent de Paul Residence.
The project, which aimed at solidarity between generations, involved children visited older persons throughout the summer, with prepared gifts and entertainment by means of drama sketches, music and dance.
Mario Galea, Parliamentary Secretary for the Elderly and Community Care, together with Stephen Spiteri, Parliamentary Assistant in the Ministry for Education, met the children during the closing ceremony on 4 October 2012. Both praised the school children, teachers and health care staff for helping to improve the quality of life of residents at St. Vincent de Paul Residence, and actively contributing to the European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations.
Mr Galea pointed out that older people are now living in different times, as many go to university, surf on the internet, Facebook, Skype, take dancing classes, engage in physical exercise and enjoy life. Mr Spiteri said that these summer months are much awaited by students attending Skolasajf summer school centres, not only because it is a place of entertainment during the holidays but also because it gives the opportunity to students to learn through creative means about various areas of our lives.
This is the third time that Skolasajf’s students visit St Vincent de Paul. In total, the Entertainment Unit has coordinated the visits of thousands of students to the older residents, offering them a variety of programmes both in the wards and in the Residence’s theatre. This year, the children learned about the importance for older people to remain active and be a dynamic integrated force in the community where they live.