Combination of Old Folks Home & Orphanage

I'd this problem is coming out with a system / template for my idea of how old folks home should integrate with orphanages. I've this idea since two years ago when I visited an old folks home at my hometown Bentong, the elderly are too lonely having the same life everyday facing the same old people who doesn't really like to communicate with each other. 

Both my tutors for project and dissertation urged me to find some precedent studies of existing integration of these two homes but I couldn't find any. Even my interim lecturer also question me on how I manage the two groups of different people together under one roof, he even asked me to choose only one group (either old folks or orphanage) for my project but I am reluctant to change my idea, he said that I'm going to kill myself throughout the whole year 3.

So I further n further my research n finally, I found it! but it is just a forum that supports my idea:

http://www.ted.com/conversations/6554/instead_of_old_age_homes_and_o.html

Here are some of the comments they posted which I think is very benefits to my building programme:

Instead of old age homes and orphanages in separate facilities, the combination of both should be built.

There are many old age homes, where many elderly who are well educated and not very sick are living deprived of love and alone. At the same time, there are many orphanages where children dont interact with, or receive love from, elders. We can build homes where elderly people and children can live as small families, take care of one other and be loved.

Nov 21 2011: Hi Deepthi, its a fantastic idea! The combination of old age homes and orphanages will connect the "experience" of old age with the "youthfulness" of children. Imagine the possibilities if children could learn hands on from elders and then go to society; not secluded but empowered. Also, the elders would feel a sense of contribution to young children's lives instead of just rebuke and loathing. 

Nov 20 2011: I agree that we shouldn 't have old age homes nor orphanages, that people should be living with their family or provided with one, in a small group with enough diversity, surrounded by real caring people instead of being a project handled by the laws of economics. It 's a good idea to mix such groups of lonely outcasts, to bring more joy and meaning into their lifes. Love and care is to rare a thing and as old or as young as people are, they need to feel usefull and meaningfull, be able to care and really cared for. It certainly is an original idea that goes in the right direction and hopefully inspires more of that!

Nov 15 2011: A really good idea. I'm working at the Bremer Heimstiftung. We have 26 Old Age Homes in the city Bremen / Germany. We have not exactly the combination of old-age homes and orphanages, but in many of our houses Kindergartens have their premises. In one house also we have a cooperation with a elementary school. There are not only the classrooms located in the retirement home, there the old and the young eat together in the same "cafeteria", too. Many of our homes are "neighborhood-houses" with many generations living under one roof. These are really good and fruitful cooperation where both sides have much to learn from each other and win.

Of course there will be other problems occur once both homes are combined such as children might be too noisy for the elderly to rest, or even children might be standoffish because of the negative influence from the elderly. But there are system to solve all these problems and I believe that the advantages are more than the disadvantages.

And here is a very rational comment to question about the problems that might happen if the homes are combined:

Nov 15 2011: Hi deepthi,

I had discussed this with some people a few months back and I got a range of opinions. There is a chance that old people might not want to be with the kids and might prefer to be alone.The kids might be seen as a disturbance if they spend more than a certain amount of time with them(Few hours is ok but living together ?). Diseases could spread easily from the kids to the old people and vice versa unless proper care is taken . .Success of this model would also depend on how much love the old people could shower on the kids.Wouldn't it be better to have trained caregivers take care of the kids and the old people.Also we need to ensure that kids are not harassed (physically,mentally and sexually) as I know some old people are not good and are outright bad..Who will ensure that ?

I would really like this idea to work .It would be great if it works but I think it can work only under certain conditions.I have spent quality time in orphanages and some time in old age homes.I really believe that it would be beneficial for both the kids and the old people to spend sometime together (say in the evening for an hour or so) under supervision and the rest of the time ,the kids should be under trained caregivers..I think this would be make both groups happy. If the old people are physically and mentally ready and capable of bringing up kids with love and affection,then they could live with them and it should be actively encouraged.But proper assessment has to be made by competent people before this is allowed.

See!

Even Flickr photo supports my idea!  :)