Joining Old and Young Together Brings Joy

As early as 7:30 each weekday morning, infants, toddlers, pre-kindergartners and seniors are dropped off at a center that serves generations from both ends of the age spectrum, by joining them together.

Down the street from its sister center on Victory Boulevard, , exists a place for infants to the very elderly to receive adequate care and stimulation through activities and human interaction.

This place, formally known as JOY (Joining Old and Young together), is now simply called ONEgeneration Daycare, for adults and children. It is located at 17400 Victory Blvd. in Van Nuys.

The senior program began in 1978 when a social worker noticed that elderly people who cared for a frail spouse suffered from the strain. The burden was too much for them, and a center of this kind seemed the solution.

The center accommodates 80 enrolled seniors, two to five days a week. Most have some sort of impairment, dementia or mild Alzheimer’s.

Judy Hamilton-Cantu, acting CEO, has worked at ONEgeneration for 11 years and fondly refers to one of many family dynamics the center caters to as the “club sandwich generation.” 

The center supervises grandparents and their young charges, some as young as 2, while the children's parents are at work or are simply taking a break.

Beyond that, seniors and children are given many opportunities during the day to visit with each other for activities, if they wish. The seniors are affectionately called "neighbors" by the children. 

The idea behind the seniors taking care of the children is to give them a chance to feel independent again, according to Hamilton-Cantu.

Inside the children’s center of intergenerational daycare, the lobby is decorated with leopard and safari printed furniture, small enough to cater to kindergartners.

The walls surrounding the Amazon-themed room display paper dolls stretched to the ceiling. Each doll was made by a child or a "neighbor" made to resemble himself or herself, said Beth Finney, acting director, who has been at the center for 10 years.

The children are grouped by age and have fun animal names for their age groups.  The 2- to 3-year-olds, for example, are known as “teddy bears,” and the 3- to 4-year-olds are the “leaping lizards.”

Several of the neighbors have been visiting the center for years and have made strong bonds with the children there. 

“I love it here,” said LeEsta Adkins, 94, who said she has been coming to ONEgeneration since she was 91. “I feel it’s the greatest experience of my life.”

Adkins often sits beside Dylan, 4, during arts and craft activities. They have known each other for almost three years.

The two generations also play games, and some seniors act as “lunch helpers” to children from age 9 months through the 3 years. Neighbors also help with naptime, and some volunteer to hold and cradle babies to provide that extra attention.

Rose Nishigh, 80, is known as the one who gets right down on the floor to help put the younger kids to bed. 

There are rocking chairs provided in the daycare rooms beside designated sheeted beds for each toddler’s nap, but Nishigh always insists on getting down at their level, according to Anh Tran, 31, intergenerational program coordinator. 

“It’s really nice to see these seniors; it’s so natural, and they’ve really developed a bond with these kids,” said Tran. “It’s very instinctual.  [The seniors say] I’m going to go visit my kids, it’s not generic in that way.”

Several seniors admit to looking forward to Mondays when they leave on Friday afternoons. They can’t wait for the weekend to be over, according to Tran.

The center offers a family environment, in some cases literally.  ONEgeneration daycare has seen siblings thrive there, as well as parents who visit the center along with their children.  In many cases, employees bring their own little ones their while they work.

Hamilton-Cantu says in addition to senior, younger adults have used the daycare services too, following a car accident or stroke. There are scholarships through ONEgeneration for special cases involving those needing immediate assistance.

Once children are ready for kindergarten, they no longer need the intergenerational daycare services, although some still visit from time to time.

Emma Plessala, who just turned 6, started kindergarten last fall. She participated at ONEgeneration daycare from the time she was a baby until just last year.

“Kindergarten is a little more fun, but I do miss it [here],” Emma said.

Tran gets to see children like Emma grow up before her eyes each day, and doesn’t hold back her enthusiasm for her work.

“People ask me what I do and I just say, ‘I have fun,’ ” said Tran. She has worked at the center for nearly four years.

Tran seems to be one of the busier members of the ONEgeneration team, as she escorts "neighbors" through the secured building several times a day.

Charlie Rosado, 75, enjoys holding infant Zachery each day and also helps with naps for a 20-month-old girl whom he calls “my Katelyn.” 

Katelyn knows Charlie well enough now that she falls asleep within minutes, according to Tran.  

“When Charlie first got here he was very reserved, and now he’s such a jokester,” said Tran.

Throughout the nooks and crannies of the noisy and bright hallways at ONE, there are offices for licensed vocational nurses, who are always present as part of the organization's license requirement; a kitchen where hot breakfast and lunches are made; and a wellness check office.

Phone calls are made in addition to the visits to drop off meals and check on the recipients each day. The calls are sometimes as personal as a reminder to take their snack before 10 a.m.

The services can be life-saving. Paula Kupiec, fund development director, recalled a case of a woman who had fallen in her apartment but was able to stay calm, comforted by the fact that her visitor from ONEgeneration would come and find her.

Mentor programs

On top of the busy schedule maintained for the participants of the daycare, the ONEgeneration center provides off-site programs to at-risk-teens and pregnant teenagers; including expecting mothers and fathers.

Older mentors from the ONE's Senior Enrichment Center, who assist these struggling teens, can relate to their situations, although their average age is 60 to 70, Hamilton-Cantu said.

“This generation did not invent premarital sex; it’s been around for centuries,” said Hamilton-Cantu.

The mentors volunteer their time, and though it took a while for the teenagers to warm up to the visits, they eventually clicked.

“There’s such a trust there, [they know that] I want to spend time with you verses you were assigned to me,” said Hamilton-Cantu. “This person volunteers to be here.”

Student volunteers at the farmers market

Volunteers from nearby high schools are familiar with ONEgeneration, and have provided help needed to the center. Los Angeles Pierce College students also put in hours at the location toward their child development studies.

“It’s a great way for students to get their community hours in,” said Hamilton-Cantu.

The high school volunteers are seen mostly on Sundays when the community is invited to a farmers market that takes place on ONEgeneration’s property. 

The daycare hasdedicated to the funding for the center, and other vendors donate a percentage of their profits to ONE.

Booths include an arts and crafts table filled with items made by members from OSEC. Hot dogs and cool drinks are served with a smile from Amos Fried, a ONEgeneration volunteer. Books are sold with the help of generous donations to both centers, and bagels are available as well.

“We are not vendors, we are not selling for ourselves,” said Fried. “Whatever we do [in sales] money goes directly to support the program.”

One volunteer who started as a high school student is now employed at ONEgeneration daycare.

“When I first started, I thought, I don’t want to do this anymore,” said Tim Slamet, 21. “But then the kids started to change that [for me]; I feel magic in them.”

Slamet put in more than 400 hours of volunteer time before accepting the job there.

“They’re [the kids] what brought me to life; they inspired me to get my high school diploma and go to college,” he said.

Slamet currently attends Pierce College, majoring in child development.

ONEgeneration, said Slamet, "is my sanctuary, my second home base.”