Fridays are the highlight of the week for children at Journey Early Learning Delacombe early learning centre and residents of nearby Bupa Ballarat aged care.
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For a year now they've been coming together, alternating between venues, taking part in activities, meals, excursions and special events as a family-like bond grows between young and old.
"Now it's like catching up with family, like visiting (grandparents)," said Journey Early Learning Centre director Beth Matheson.
Some aged care residents don't take part in any other organised activity but have not missed a session with their young friends from down the road.
The two centres are just 600m apart and a "special friendship" began during COVID when aged care residents and kindergarten children became pen pals, writing letters to each other.
The letters progressed to fortnightly visits once COVID restrictions eased, and eight months ago the visits became weekly.
"At first we thought every fortnight, but that was too far away for the residents and the little people. They couldn't wait ... so we made it every week," said Rashmi Regmi, head of lifestyle at Bupa Delacombe.
Now it's hard to tell who enjoys it more - the children or their elderly friends.
There were Easter craft activities to be completed as children from Journey visited residents at the aged care home, and each group attended the other's Easter party.
They've also attended Christmas parties together and it there's a special event at either venue the other group are always invited.
About 10 to 15 children from nursery to kindergarten go to Bupa when it's their turn to visit, and there's up to 20 Bupa residents who return the visit to the early learning centre.
When the aged care residents visit the children they wander between the classrooms, cuddle the babies and take part in activities that older children are completing.
The groups usually share morning tea together, with scones, jam and cream a firm favourite among all ages.
Ms Regmi said the weekly program was hugely enjoyable and beneficial for residents.
"It's very cognitively and emotionally beneficial," she said. "Some residents can't see family close by so it's new relationships we are building."
"It's something they look forward to every Friday and they don't want to miss the opportunity to see the children."
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Ms Matheson said visits went for up to two hours and the groups had even been on excursions together to the park and Lake Wendouree.
"Not every child has access to or is able to see their grandparents and this just adds another dimension to our program to create those bonds with older people. The older people reflect and reminisce on when they were young, what they liked and did and for everyone it's a highlight of each week."
And families got to meet the elderly residents when they took part in special family events at the centre.
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