Stars from SESLHD in new season of Old People’s Home for 4 Year Olds

The much-loved Emmy award-winning TV series, Old People’s Home for 4 Year Olds, returned to the ABC for its second season this week.

Dr Stephanie Ward from Prince of Wales Hospital is once again the show’s expert geriatrician, which aims to demonstrate the physical and mental benefits of bringing together the young and old.

Unlike the first season which was filmed with residents of a retirement village, season two includes a new group of seniors who all live in their own homes, and instead visit four-year-olds at preschool.

Ms Ward said she hopes these new settings will educate the community about loneliness, and uncover that isolation doesn’t just affect those living in aged care.

“Over one-and-a-half million older Australians live in the community,” Ms Ward said.

“Most want to remain living in their own home for as long as possible, but ageing in the community can present challenges, including physical frailty, social isolation and loneliness – which can impact quality of life, confidence and independence.”

Staff at War Memorial Hospital (WMH) were also involved in making the series a reality, providing a location for pre and post-experiment clinical assessments, and by helping to identifying some seniors to participate.

Jane McGuire, Service Manager/Deputy Director of Nursing, WMH, said: “The clinical teams were excited to advocate for the possible recruitment of clients as participants, recognising the importance of social connectivity and intergenerational experiences in the wellbeing of older clients.

“Where the filming coincided with the COVID pandemic and the implementation of broader societal physical distancing measures, the second series serendipitously facilitated an outlet for several of our WMH regulars who may otherwise have had their isolation compounded.

“Upon their return to WMH, it was fabulous to hear their stories and see their smiling faces in recounting their experiences during the filming,” Ms McGuire said.  

Tune into Old People’s Home for 4 Year Olds on ABC TV at 8:30pm Tuesdays to watch the intergenerational experiment unfold. Both seasons can be streamed on ABC iview. A trailer for season two is available here.

Image supplied by the ABC.