Page 61 - Vibrant Living Scrapbook

A Latchkey Program Model
Perham Memorial connected with the local latchkey program for kids of working parents. Now, students go to the nursing home after school and stay until their parents pick them up after work. In summer when school is out, the nursing home provides a camp for the kids during the work week. As the kids are there all day, camp may present even more time for them to interact with elders than during the school year.
The latchkey program uses a room in the
main area of the nursing home as its base. From there it engages in its normal activities, including field trips. During late afternoon hours of the school-year program, children can become especially familiar with a particular household of residents. They can do their homework in the living or dining room where residents hang out, or residents can go to the latchkey room to interact with the kids if they wish – perhaps to participate in the Reading Buddies Program or play Bingo.
Community Learning Circle Questions
What could we do to create more opportunity to be with kids?
What connections do we have for including kids in our household?
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