Carol Lindsay MSN, RN

Nine or Ninety, We All Want a Choice

Tags: elder care elderly patients Nurse Education

A well-intentioned “reading buddies” program paired third graders with nursing home residents, but during a clinical rotation, I witnessed a painful mismatch: a struggling young reader in tears after a resident on hospice brusquely dismissed him. The resident hadn’t chosen to participate and didn’t want to spend her limited time that way, and the child felt rejected. The incident revealed how intergenerational programs, though beneficial in theory, can backfire when participation isn’t voluntary or thoughtfully matched—showing that choice is essential for both children and older adults. A well-intentioned “reading buddies” program paired third graders with nursing home residents, but during a clinical rotation, I witnessed a painful mismatch: a struggling young reader in tears after a resident on hospice brusquely dismissed him. The resident hadn’t chosen to participate and didn’t want to spend her limited time that way, and the child felt rejected. The incident revealed how intergenerational programs, though beneficial in theory, can backfire when participation isn’t voluntary or thoughtfully matched—showing that choice is essential for both children and older adults.