In a big open room filled with mismatched pieces of furniture, sandpaper and paint, 11-year-old Mason Wiggins is overseeing the painting of a chair.
"Just paint the top a bit," he gently directs.
"But we don't want big lumps, so we only do little amounts."
The year 5 Bonython Primary School student is talking to his new friend, 86-year-old Helen Reid.
He is one of 16 children taking part in an intergenerational program at Club Kalina this term, which sees enthusiastic primary school children partnered with seniors living with dementia and other disabilities, to lovingly restore and rehome furniture.
Much like ABC TV's award-winning series 'Old People's Home for Teenagers', the weekly initiative in Tuggeranong in Canberra's south offers students the opportunity to develop social bonds while contributing in a meaningful way to their local community.
"We have come from our school to come do some furniture restorations with our buddies," Mason explained.
And, it's been a resounding success.
"We see this as an opportunity for our students to demonstrate empathy, embrace diversity and grow as people and not just learners," Bonython Primary School Team Leader for year 5 & 6, Marissa Owens, said.
"They thoroughly enjoy coming and the excitement levels on the bus on the way are always high.
"It is certainly something they look forward to each and every week."
When kids and seniors become friends
Launched in the ACT around three years ago by registered charity and not-for profit organisation Community Home Australia, Club Kalina offers inclusive and meaningful engagement through daytime activities for adults living with disabilities like dementia, Parkinson's disease, Autism Spectrum Disorder and Down syndrome.
This latest furniture restoration initiative is designed to help reduce social isolation among seniors and break stigma around dementia — which remains a terminal disease.
"There is a big stigma in society [that] people with dementia should be feared or that we don't have anything to learn from them," explains Community Home Australia's Rhiannon Toohey.
"That is just not the case at all. We have so much to learn from people with dementia.
"They have such huge hearts and knowledge and if you just take the time and patience to listen, watch and learn you will pick up something special."
As Grants and Research Coordinator for Community Home Australia and through her PhD, Ms Toohey is studying the attitudes of the students involved towards people living with dementia.
She's also evaluating interactions between the students and the people living with dementia, to see how connections are built and how they progress over time.
"The kids [have been] really receptive to the idea of becoming friends with someone with dementia," Ms Toohey said.
"They were actually really open minded in inviting people to the table."
As far as Mason is concerned, he and Helen have become friends.
"She's my friend, she's just like every other person," he said.
And while Mason's passions include his favourite AFL team the Bulldogs, dinosaurs and wildlife, he has also learnt a few things about the cognitive and behavioural changes associated with dementia, thanks to Helen.
"Dementia is mainly where your memory is stuck in the past," Mason said.
"Some days you can have good days and you can have bad days."
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Helen, who lives with dementia and Parkinson's, said she really enjoys the weekly interactions with Mason and the other primary school children.
"It is very pleasant to work with the young people," Mrs Reid said.
"Usually the teacher [would be] standing up the front giving orders, whereas in working together we decide how things should be done."
Helping the wider community
The first project Mason and Helen were given at Club Kalina involved restoring an old table and chair, which was intended to be donated to a local family in need.
"The students have started by re-furnishing this old table that we've found, it's a beautiful six-seater dining table," Ms Toohey explained.
"Through the process of doing that, they're actually creating stronger bonds with each other as students, but they're also helping people with dementia as well."
The recipient of the restored table and chairs was single mother of four Carly Marlin, who said she could hardly believe her luck.
"Even just the ability to have a new piece of furniture in the house when the cost of living is so high," Ms Marlin, whose children are all neurodiverse and aged under eight, said.
"As someone on a carer's payment, I wouldn't be able to usually afford something like this, especially this quality.
"I really appreciate the fact that I have been chosen, because it is very helpful and very needed."
Ms Marlin, who previously spent 13 years working in the aged care sector, can also appreciate the impact a program like this has on the elderly population.
"It creates and promotes more independence for the senior citizens, especially being around younger kids," Ms Marlin said.
"When you get someone younger in to talk to them they vibe off that energy and they almost feel younger themselves.
"The added bonus is just an amazing table that will be used and loved."
Ms Toohey said there were plans to implement the community-embedded intergenerational initiative in other school communities and day care centres around Australia and overseas.
"I think it is really important that we share this model of care and we don't warehouse people," she said.
"We let people integrate into society and we are there to guide them along the way.
"Being a part of community and giving back, feeling useful through those purposefully living activities, is really important to the quality of life for people living with dementia."
