Young, old learn a trick or two

The eight seniors, with the average age of 93, from Feros Village Byron Bay were taking part in the online Skype conversation with Year 9 students from Davidson High School in Frenchs Forest, Sydney.

The hook-up was part of a program connecting teenagers to seniors, using technology. The candid Q and A covered topics like sex before marriage, underage drinking, dating and how different things were “back then”.

The students were surprised to learn that little has changed about first-date nerves. The big difference was that many local activities, such as ice skating and going to the local dance, have been replaced by technology as a way of meeting someone.

Davidson High teacher Jen Wright organised the virtual meeting after seeing news about Feros Care’s “tele-presence robot” Wheel.I.Am – an iPad mounted on a mini-Segway base.

“I wanted to teach the students to use technology in a positive way, and I really appreciate the wisdom of older generations, so it made sense to combine the two,” Ms Wright said.

As well as discussing the issues of drugs, alcohol and fashion – “Clothes were well made and the fashion lasted for years” noted one resident – the participants also talked about school-leaving age.

Of the seniors involved in the live-cross, most had left school by age 14 and gone out to work.

Ms Wright said before the Q and A the students assumed the seniors would be “old, frail and sick”.

“They had a great surprise to see and hear such vitality and learn that in many ways nothing has changed across the generations. Comments ranged from ‘that is sooo awesome’ to ‘Fred is such a cool dude’ and ‘I want to be Jill when I’m older’.”

Resident Emily, 97, took part in the online discussion.

“I didn’t mind telling my story,”she said. “It’s so different to today. We never swore (except in the paddock).

“I hope the students learned something they would never have heard anywhere else. It was great because it made us think about our childhoods and youth.”