Perth Voice Interactive

INTERGENERATIONAL connection is at the heart of a new not-for-profit idea targeting elderly loneliness through friendship with younger people. 

Founded by Freo mum Melina Araujo, Find Your Granny is a platform aimed at forging connections between young children, their parents, and elderly people experiencing loneliness. 

Harking from Venezuela, Ms Araujo is a single mum to five-year-old Dylan and works full-time as an industrial engineer; she says it’s “really hard” to establish and maintain relationships with people in her community. 

Connection

Ms Araujo’s family, including Dylan’s grandparents, is scattered worldwide, so Dylan does not have access to familial support. 

By chance meeting, the pair met 79-year-old Marjorie Kerkhoff and the three hit it off, resulting in monthly visits to Mrs Kerkhoff’s home in York. 

Dylan, who lives with autism and has a language and speech delay, found a friend and kindred spirit in Marjorie. 

“When we were leaving one of the times, he said, ‘goodbye Mama’, to Marjorie,” Ms Araujo said. 

“I never expected that…he obviously sees her as a mother figure, which is so special.

“She’s just been a blessing.” 

Monthly visits soon turned into Ms Araujo and Dylan spending Christmas with Marjorie and her family down south – an important experience for the pair who do not have any other family in Perth.  

“I was very close to my grandmother who still lives in Venezuela, and I really wanted that for Dylan, and for him to also experience that family connection meant a lot to me especially during Christmas,” Ms Araujo said. 

“It has been so beautiful.” 

Mrs Kerkhoff says forging a relationship with Dylan and his mum has been “wonderful”, especially given she does not have any grandchildren of her own. 

“He’s a great little fellow, and he’s full of beans, full of energy…too much for me sometimes,” Mrs Kerkhoff said with a chuckle. 

“He loves it up here, he’s got his toys, and my little chihuahua, and they get on. 

“It’s really good having him around.” 

Mrs Kerkhoff, who is a member of the York Shire’s Access and Inclusion Advisory Committee, says her friendship with Dylan has been “very helpful” for her to provide perspective to the committee. 

Building

“When we have a problem, I can picture Dylan, and ask ‘how would this help him? How would this benefit him?’” Mrs Kerkhoff said. 

“For example, if we’re building a playground and going to put all these things in to benefit a child with a disability, I will think of it [from Dylan’s perspective] which is really good.” 

Ms Araujo says she hopes to facilitate more of these connections through Find Your Granny, and is even organising for Dylan’s daycare facility to visit a nursing home in the near future, inspired by the ABC’s hit show, Old People’s Home for Four Year Olds. 

“My target is people like me, people with young kids, as well as the sons and daughters of elderly people without grandkids, so that they can connect,” Ms Araujo said. 

“At [the nursing home], some of the residents are not even picked up by their families for Christmas, so it would be great if at least the children could come to visit them…it’s so important.” 

More information is available on the Find your Granny Facebook page.

by KATHERINE KRAAYVANGER