In the News ;
A Nursing Home With a Twist
Lively 4- and 5-year-olds are often seen and heard at the Grace Living Center, a nursing
home in Jenks, Okla. That’s because of an innovative concept that daily brings together the young
and the old. ; Thinking that the presence of
children would bring joy to the home’s residents,
Grace’s president, Don Greiner, incorporated
two classrooms into the facility when it was built
in 1998. Now, 49 pre-
schoolers and kin-
dergartners learn,
play and interact
with the 165 resi-
dents. Their shared activities include reading to
each other and acting out stories. ; The setup has
become a model for other facilities. Swedish film-
makers are working on a
documentary about it.
; “Nursing homes have
entertained residents
with visits from children
or pets, but that addresses boredom, not loneli-
ness,” Greiner observes. “When children stay, they
form a bond with the residents.” —Eleanor Gilman
Exclusive Videos Online
; Honoring the Greatest Generation
The Honor Flight Network gives World War II veterans
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TOP: MASHID MOHADJERIN; LEFT: PAUL BEACH/COURTES Y HONOR FLIGH T CHICAGO
MAY 2012
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; Soldier With a Home at Last
Thousands of veterans are among the homeless in the United States. But the nonprofit
Soldier On is working to change that. See how
having a home of his own is changing the life
of one Vietnam vet.
aarp.org/vets
