Indian Creek Foundation’s Therapeutic After School Program (TASP) has been a community resource for hundreds of families who have a child with Autism. An important program of our Behavioral Health Services department, TASP uses evidence-based tools to assist children and adolescents with their work toward individualized goals. As part of our programming, clinicians and therapeutic aides take the children and adolescents into the community to practice and apply skills learned within on-campus programming.
Over the last 5 years, we have been fortunate to partner with Souderton Mennonite Homes to develop a consistent community activity – called Grandfriends – for our younger group of 5, 6, and 7 year olds. The primary focus of this activity is to work toward individualized goals by practicing conversation skills, demonstrating kindness toward others, and building social awareness skills. One of our lead clinicians, Emily DePaul, recently shared about the amazing impact that Grandfriends has had on everyone involved.
Up the Hill and Past the Pool, to Our Grandfriends’ House We Go
About once or twice a month during the school year, our group of young TASP participants will head out from our Cowpath Road campus to go visit their Grandfriends at Souderton Mennonite Homes. The children and Indian Creek staff meet with residents in the Independent or Assisted Living units. Everyone gathers in a large group space in the main campus building to get started.
An important element of our TASP program is called Check-in, so that’s how time with Grandfriends begins. Check-in means previewing the schedule for the visit so that everyone knows what to expect. The second part of Check-in is practicing conversational skills, but they don’t do that part right away on these special visits.
After going over the schedule, the students will share a snack with their Grandfriends, serving them first before taking their own snack to a seat. Once everyone has been served, the children will sit down with their Grandfriends to practice chatting during a meal. The group then shares how they are feeling and answers a “question of the day” as the second part of Check-in. Our staff members are always impressed to see the robust conversations and meaningful interactions between the children and their Grandfriends during this time of connectivity.
Following the snack, the seniors and children get into pairs or small groups to work on a craft or activity. The adults have a hands-on role in the activity, which allows our clinicians to supervise for therapeutic purposes. The group will also take tours around the main building, checking out the store, chapel, café, and lounge areas. The children really enjoy exploring, and the Grandfriends love having visitors to invite into their space for lively interaction. Emily always notices how these visits just light everyone up. There is so much excitement and joy between the children and the seniors.
Therapeutic Skills Application in the Community
Souderton Mennonite Homes is a great community setting for TASP participants to practice their skills. Because many of the Grandfriends are in their 80s and 90s, the children have an opportunity to genuinely serve, help, and pay close attention to their surroundings.
The older adults may have a hard time using their hands, walking on their own, seeing, or hearing. Therefore, the children can help with picking things up or using tools during the activity. They learn how to be careful around canes, walkers, and wheelchairs, which builds upon their social and environmental awareness skills. They especially learn how to use their voices to communicate well with someone who has trouble seeing or hearing them.
One behavioral skill that clinicians take advantage of teaching around the Grandfriends is helping the children become aware of their own physical size and presence. With these older adults, they can learn about how to be gentle when they high five or shake hands, and that they have to be careful not to run into an older person, or try to sit on their laps. The social awareness lessons are invaluable through this program.
Speaking of social awareness, the children practice excellent listening and empathy skills while visiting with Grandfriends. The older adults share very honestly with their visitors – in an age appropriate manner – and this helps the children learn about different life experiences. The seniors will share about surgeries, having been sick, or everyday problems like getting locked out of their apartments or a meal mishap. The children get to hear stories that aren’t part of their normal lives, and this gives them something very interesting to talk about. These stories seem to also show the children that even as adults, we have to be flexible when the unexpected happens and find ways to handle new situations.
Resident Sue Shade said of her young friends, “I so enjoy participating in the Grandfriends Program with Indian Creek Foundation. It is such a wonderful way for different generations to connect and share our stories and thoughts. I believe it benefits all of us – making new friends, learning new things, communicating and socializing, and having fun.”
Everyone Has Something New to Learn
Emily DePaul visits the Grandfriends a few times on her own throughout the year. She uses that time to discuss behavioral health topics like Autism and the strategies that therapists use with children in our programs. She finds that the older adults are genuinely interested in learning more about behavioral health diagnoses like Autism and ADHD. For one, they want to be the best possible friends to their young visitors, but many of them also have grandchildren or great-grandchildren who have similar diagnoses. These debriefing meetings help them gain a more comprehensive understanding of current therapeutic approaches.
The older adults also give the clinicians great advice about how to help children interact with their generation. They share tips on how children can be respectfully supportive to the elderly by speaking up and offering help in various ways. In general, the Grandfriends thoroughly enjoy the open and honest dialogue they get to share with young children. They have a lot of fun just sharing their own stories and listening to what the children have to say.
Heather Scattergood is the Residential Living Wellness and Life Enrichment Coordinator at Souderton Mennonite Homes. She has been thrilled with the Grandfriends program.
“This is one of my most favorite programs that we’ve developed here. As a recreational therapist, I know the value of intergenerational programming. What is so special about this program is the level at which it has been developed to really meet the children and seniors where they are. The residents have so much to share, and the children give it back tenfold. Many of the residents participate for years, and they are grateful to see new faces each year.
“Emily honors the children by offering training on Autism and ADHD to our residents so that they understand the goals of the program. They appreciate learning this practical information because they can often model it with their own loved ones. The students remind us that everyone has something to deal with in this life and that everyone has great value and love to be shared.”
Heather also mentioned that some residents have been pleasantly surprised to discover how much they have to offer the children. One resident had been thinking about retiring from Grandfriends due to her failing vision, but she was willing to stay in the program just a little longer. When Heather followed up with her, the resident said she realized she could still be of great value to the children and that they lifted her spirits. She decided to stick with it and keep visiting with her young friends.
Next Steps for Grandfriends
Emily DePaul and our Behavioral Health Services Director, Amanda Pfister, also lead Indian Creek Foundation’s First Friends Preschool Social Skills Program. The Saturday morning program is for preschool aged children and also includes a parental education component. To qualify for this program, children must require some social skills support. Emily is hoping to grow the Grandfriends program to these children beginning in 2025. Of course, it will be adapted to the younger age group. But Emily and Heather agree that everyone has something of value to share!
If you would like to offer an opportunity for the children in one of our TASP age groups to practice their skills in a community setting, we would love to hear from you! For more information about Behavioral Health Services, the Therapeutic After School Program, or the First Friends Preschool Social Skills Program, contact our Program Coordinator at 267-203-1500 ext. 139.