Unlike in China, grandparents in Germany rarely help care for their grandchildren, with many seniors choosing to live in nursing homes. Consequently, Germany ranks among Europe's countries with the highest number of nursing homes, yet its kindergartens are relatively scarce. Recently, various regions across Germany have launched a "One Elder, One Child" initiative, encouraging kindergartens to be built adjacent to nursing homes.Germany Encourages Kindergartens Adjacent to Nursing Homes (Volksgesundheit.de) At Hamburg's "Care and Residence" nursing home, 215 residents aged 70 to 90 share their space with 80 children ranging from 6 months to 6 years old."Children are like batteries for life, giving seniors new energy," said Schween, the nursing home director, to Life Times reporters. Life in nursing homes can be monotonous, and many seniors feel their lives lack meaning. Playing with children and doing what they can for them makes seniors feel "valuable." Schween also explained that while people often assume seniors prefer quiet, they actually enjoy lively atmospheres.Engaging in activities with children exercises their muscles, trains their minds, dispels loneliness, and maintains an optimistic outlook. Statistics show that seniors residing in these "old and young" care homes exhibit significantly better mental states and health compared to those in traditional nursing homes. Jennifer, the director of the nearby kindergarten, noted that the children have come to regard the seniors as family, fostering exceptionally harmonious relationships.Moreover, research indicates that children attending kindergartens near nursing homes demonstrate stronger language skills and greater respect for elders than their peers. In these "intergenerational care homes," seniors and children share common activities like group exercises, games, and cooking. The facilities regularly host gatherings where everyone sings and reads together.Some facilities with the resources also organize forest walks, outings, or museum visits for the elderly and children.
Currently, nearly 100 kindergartens have been established adjacent to nursing homes across Germany. Schult, an official from the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, told reporters that Germany currently faces a shortage of 200,000 kindergarten spots. He believes nursing homes will become the most significant solution to this problem in the future.