Pines of Sarasota shares Thanksgiving feast for all generations

Residents at Pines of Sarasota shared a Thanksgiving luncheon with special visitors Tuesday morning. 

The senior residents had a chance to interact with the youngest visitors on campus and had lunch with the children who attend the on-campus Child Care Center. The children came to lunch dressed as pilgrims with bonnets and hats with their parents and sat down to have a feast with the residents they have come to call “Grandma and Grandpa.”

The lunch was also a lesson in cooking for the children. The meal for the event consisted of the traditional Thanksgiving feast of turkey, mashed potatoes and stuffing. Additional sides dishes were prepared by the children including sweet potatoes, green beans and corn. 

“They mixed and dumped the ingredients as best as they could,” said Connie Snyder, director of childcare.” It’s a family participation and of course it’s a big part of our intergenerational program.”

Activities like these are part of the Intergeneration Program at Pines of Sarasota that allows senior residents to interact with the children. Resident Bob King has come to look forward to his interactions with the children. 

“Every time they see me they give me a high-five,” King said. 

Pines of Sarasota resident Margie Jackson was in attendance for the event. Through daily interaction whether in passing by or going into visit and read, Jackson has come to learn most if not all of the names of the children in the child care center. 

“It’s so therapeutic for everyone involved,” said Kimberly O’Toole, director of activities at Pines of Sarasota. “It reminds our seniors of their children when they were young. It takes them away from their current pain and sorrows.”