SYLVIA, 102, TOUCHES HER TOES ON TV
TV SHOW BRIDGES THE GENRATION GAP FOR HOME RESIDENTS
SPRIGHTLY 102-year-old Sylvia Fairholme proudly declares “that’s my party piece”, as she bends over to touch her toes.
The centenarian, who is originally from West Bridgford and now lives at Lark Hill retirement village, has just taken part in a TV experiment into the effects of mixing very young and very old people.
The second series of Channel 4 show Old People’s Home for 4 Year Olds centres around the village in Clifton. For resident and great grandmother Sylvia, it was an incredibly positive experience.
She said: “I loved it. I didn’t want it to end. I think it was wonderful.”
The former school cook, who moved to Lark Hill in 2009, recalled her own childhood in Nottinghamshire, which included enjoying time out in the countryside and coming home on a trap pulled by two donkeys.
She believes younger children today aren’t as shy as when she was young and said the experiment made her realise how important it is for older people and children to mix.
She added: “You don’t realise you are getting older when you have children running around you. You want to join in.”
The show, which is aired on Mondays at 9pm, involves the two generations taking part in a range of activities, with many friendships blossoming on screen.
A team of geriatric specialists then measure the impact of the activities, focusing on mood, memory and mobility. The effect on the children is also measured.
Sylvia’s fellow resident, Pauleen Davies MBE, 92, now has a portrait of herself drawn by one of the children, which is decorated in silver stars, taking pride of place on her kitchen wall.
The former magistrate, who was awarded her MBE in 2007 for services to older people in Nottingham, recalls fond memories of her childhood.
She said: “My childhood was very happy and very poor. We always had the feeling we were loved and secure and that is what matters more than anything in this world.”
Pauleen, founder and life president of the Radford Care Group, moved to Lark Hill eight years ago and also volunteers at the village, which includes work on the fundraising committee.
She decided as soon as she heard about the show that she wanted to be involved, saying that spending time with youngsters gives older people the joy of reminiscing about their own children.
She said: “It reminds you of the songs you used to sing them and the stories you used to tell them. I have always loved small children.”
On the picture that was drawn for her, she added: “I was thrilled with that. I treasure it.”
84-year-old Fred Thompson, who lived in Nottingham for 48 years before moving to Lark Hill with wife Joyce in 2017, says he has been more active in the last year and particularly enjoyed taking part in the filming. “It was good fun,” he said. The series came about after Channel 4 teamed up with the Extracare Charitable Trust, which runs Lark Hill. The village’s manager, Carl Walmsley, has declared the experiment a massive success after seeing the change in the residents.
He said: “I have definitely seen the majority of the residents have become much more active and involved.”