Bored Panda works better on our iPhone app
Continue in app Continue in browser

The Bored Panda iOS app is live! Fight boredom with iPhones and iPads here.

Dutch Retirement Home Offers Students Free Rent For Time Spent With Elderly Residents
Dutch Retirement Home Offers Students Free Rent For Time Spent With Elderly Residents
User submission
29.1K

Dutch Retirement Home Offers Students Free Rent For Time Spent With Elderly Residents

114

ADVERTISEMENT

Humanitas, a social service organization in the Netherlands, has come up with a brilliant model for helping students with their expenses and the elderly with the care and social interaction that they need to remain physically and psychologically healthy. In return for free lodging at a retirement home in the Dutch town of Deventer, six students will spend at least 30 hours a month with the 160 elderly residents living there, doing anything from helping prepare their meals and shopping with/for them to teaching them to use computers or even paint street art!

The program, spearheaded by Humanitas Deventer CEO Gea Sijpkes, has inspired social organizations elsewhere in Europe to explore similar opportunities as well!

More info: humanitas.nl | Facebook | Twitter (h/t: mymodernmet, thejournal)

RELATED:

    Students get free housing for spending time with elders at the retirement home

    student-dorm-edlerly-retirement-home-deventer-humanitas-2

    The students spend at least 30 hours a month eating, talking, shopping or even playing games with them

    student-dorm-edlerly-retirement-home-deventer-humanitas-5

    “It’s important not to isolate the elderly from the outside world,” said Gea Sijpkes, Humanitas Deventer CEO

    student-dorm-edlerly-retirement-home-deventer-humanitas-3

    ADVERTISEMENT

    “When you’re 96 years old with a knee problem, well, the knee isn’t going to get any better…”

    student-dorm-edlerly-retirement-home-deventer-humanitas-6

    “But what we can do is create an environment where you forget about the painful knee”

    student-dorm-edlerly-retirement-home-deventer-humanitas-1

    ADVERTISEMENT

    53Kviews

    Share on Facebook
    Dovas

    Dovas

    Author, Community member

    Read more »

    There is a beast with heart of cold stone that dashes like lightning, shreds flesh from bone. // Bewitched by this beast, I fell to my knees. My mouth babbled madness and mumbled soft pleas. // I stared down the ravenous, gnashing dark maw of a cute cuddly kitten with yarn in its paw

    Read less »
    Dovas

    Dovas

    Author, Community member

    There is a beast with heart of cold stone that dashes like lightning, shreds flesh from bone. // Bewitched by this beast, I fell to my knees. My mouth babbled madness and mumbled soft pleas. // I stared down the ravenous, gnashing dark maw of a cute cuddly kitten with yarn in its paw

    What do you think ?
    JunJun
    Community Member
    10 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Good idea. I think that encouraging the interact and conversations between elderly and students benefit for their memory and health as well

    TvIsOverrated
    Community Member
    10 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Great idea, you can learn so much from elderly people! :)

    KateElle
    Community Member
    10 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I want this in America! I'm 21 and I would love to spend time with them and live rent free :)

    cuteness
    Community Member
    10 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    wow that is so genius its scary

    YashodaJordan
    Community Member
    9 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    What a fantastisch idea. Who not implement these ideas in California?

    geoffschneider
    Community Member
    10 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is good for the young, too who are easily separated from their seniors. I know; I am part of the generation in the US who separated. I lived in Mexico where Americans were in homes and Mexican elders were at home. In the US I live on property where Mexicans (a country - not a race) demonstrate how the elderly should be treated. It works. Tvls is right; knowledge might not be gained from the elderly, but wisdom is.

    PamelaCowley
    Community Member
    10 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Fantastic idea. I help a couple of senior friends with computer issues and small home tasks. The rewards are greater for me than for them.

    Rhon
    Community Member
    10 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is a gorgeous idea. It should be done all around the world.

    GlynisLailann
    Community Member
    10 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is a brilliant idea. There are too many stories of old people being abandoned and forgotten.

    JuneHelm
    Community Member
    10 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    What a great idea. Should try the scheme in the U.K.

    AmyNg
    Community Member
    10 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Nah, not just the U.K; the whole world needs to try this scheme out. ;)

    Load More Replies...
    bubamara
    Community Member
    10 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Bravo, simple and effective!

    jleitner
    Community Member
    10 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Reminds me of centers where both seniors and preschoolers can spend their days being cared for, and caring for each other. Both benefit.

    LidijaMalkic
    Community Member
    10 years ago

    This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

    HOW ABOUT STUPID RULES AND REGULATIONS THAT GOV. FORCE ON US DAILY? old ones are scared to let in. we not trusting. sad really

    JunJun
    Community Member
    10 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Good idea. I think that encouraging the interact and conversations between elderly and students benefit for their memory and health as well

    TvIsOverrated
    Community Member
    10 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Great idea, you can learn so much from elderly people! :)

    KateElle
    Community Member
    10 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I want this in America! I'm 21 and I would love to spend time with them and live rent free :)

    cuteness
    Community Member
    10 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    wow that is so genius its scary

    YashodaJordan
    Community Member
    9 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    What a fantastisch idea. Who not implement these ideas in California?

    geoffschneider
    Community Member
    10 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is good for the young, too who are easily separated from their seniors. I know; I am part of the generation in the US who separated. I lived in Mexico where Americans were in homes and Mexican elders were at home. In the US I live on property where Mexicans (a country - not a race) demonstrate how the elderly should be treated. It works. Tvls is right; knowledge might not be gained from the elderly, but wisdom is.

    PamelaCowley
    Community Member
    10 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Fantastic idea. I help a couple of senior friends with computer issues and small home tasks. The rewards are greater for me than for them.

    Rhon
    Community Member
    10 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is a gorgeous idea. It should be done all around the world.

    GlynisLailann
    Community Member
    10 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is a brilliant idea. There are too many stories of old people being abandoned and forgotten.

    JuneHelm
    Community Member
    10 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    What a great idea. Should try the scheme in the U.K.

    AmyNg
    Community Member
    10 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Nah, not just the U.K; the whole world needs to try this scheme out. ;)

    Load More Replies...
    bubamara
    Community Member
    10 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Bravo, simple and effective!

    jleitner
    Community Member
    10 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Reminds me of centers where both seniors and preschoolers can spend their days being cared for, and caring for each other. Both benefit.

    LidijaMalkic
    Community Member
    10 years ago

    This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

    HOW ABOUT STUPID RULES AND REGULATIONS THAT GOV. FORCE ON US DAILY? old ones are scared to let in. we not trusting. sad really

    You May Like
    Related on Bored Panda
    Popular on Bored Panda
    Trending on Bored Panda
    Also on Bored Panda
    ADVERTISEMENT