The children wait in front of the door to the room, excited. No longer able to contain himself, one of them raises his fist to the sky, all smiles, and shouts: “Down syndrome! » Impossible to resist; I start laughing.
Meanwhile, in a room of the Regroupement pour la trisomy 21, six elders are waiting for the little ones. They told me they were happy, but a little embarrassed too. They haven’t seen their young friends all summer. Fortunately, they know them well. Today, they are starting a third year of activities with the CPE next door.
The Regroupement pour la trisomy 21 has existed since 1986. Conferences, workshops, physiotherapy, psychoeducation, karaoke, game classes… The offer is vast. As is often the case in the community sector, it relies on the dedication of a small team whose work is 30% funded by the public system. The rest depends on donations.
In 2021, it was the support of the City of Montreal that allowed Geneviève Labrecque (general director of the Regroupement pour la trisomie 21) and Marie Eve Lalonde (director of the RHEA early childhood center), to unite their efforts to support seniors.
PHOTO ROBERT SKINNER, THE PRESS
Geneviève Labrecque, general director of the Regroupement pour la trisomie 21, and Marie Eve Lalonde, director of the RHEA early childhood center
This is because people with Down syndrome experience premature aging. “Life expectancy is around 60 years and aging often begins around 40,” Geneviève Labrecque explained to me. When we think of retirement, we think of time for ourselves, travel or activities with friends. For people with Down syndrome, retirement is nothing… They have been on social assistance, they do not have access to travel. And they often lose their skills more quickly than the general population. »
The program dedicated to them therefore includes several activities to make this period of their life more fertile. Among them, weekly playtime with the children of the CPE RHEA, such as crafts, chair yoga classes, motor skills courses and outings to the park – the favorite activity of the oldest member of the group, Stéphane, 62 years old. .
The objective is twofold: to raise children’s awareness of intellectual differences while allowing elders to maintain an active role in society. Like their peers, often grandparents, they want to be able to take care of little ones.
Through the band, links are created.
PHOTO ROBERT SKINNER, THE PRESS
Noémie and France make modeling clay with two of their young friends.
“Last year, a young boy stood in front of our door,” recalls Geneviève Labrecque. His mother said to him: “I don’t think you’re coming to Regroupement today.” He replied: “Yes, but I’m bored!” »
Besides, the children were clearly bored during the summer. The elders too. As soon as the little ones enter the room, the older ones get up. France, 58 years old, shakes hands. Seeing Lia in her beautiful red dress, Patrick, 57, approaches to tell her that she looks like a Christmas present. Quickly, all the children join in the conversation. Many insist that we know that their birthday is close to Christmas, precisely…
(I love how 4 year olds think.)
To launch this new year of activities, speaker Jessyka Brousseau first orchestrates a discussion circle. Everyone must remember their name, say their age and identify something they like. France arouses general support when she says she loves poutine.
What strikes me is that some people living with Down syndrome have speech problems. When they speak, the children concentrate and listen to them. They patiently seek to understand them. The desire to make contact is very real.
I chat with three of them, aside. When I ask Olivia if she knows what Down syndrome is, she nods. “They’re friends!” »
PHOTO ROBERT SKINNER, THE PRESS
Leonard, Olivia and Julia
Julia tells me that Down syndrome “is here”.
— And Leonard, when you are told that you are coming to play at the Regroupement, what do you say to yourself?
— That there will be more friends this morning!
My heart melts.
Ghislain Leblond, the children’s educator, explains to me that they see neither the intellectual difference nor the difference relating to age. We’ve read them stories about Down syndrome and we’re ready to answer their questions, but the fact is that they don’t really have any…
“These are future adults who will have encountered difference very early in their lives. They will not be afraid of it,” believes Geneviève Labrecque.
PHOTO ROBERT SKINNER, THE PRESS
Elders and children dance to the same rhythm during a day of activities together.
What prejudice could we see disappear with more initiatives of this kind? There are many of them, believes the director of the Regroupement pour la Trisomy 21, but the one that particularly bothers her is mental age: “A 55-year-old person has a life experience of 55 years, she does not have the mental age of a 5 year old child. There are some who know cinema much better than me, yet we tend to infantilize them… We already infantilize the elders! »
She continues her reflection, which is particularly relevant on this National Seniors Day.
“Even neurotypical elderly people, we put them in a center. We need to live together, we need this youth. »
As the elders and children get up to dance to the same rhythm, I tell myself that it is difficult not to agree with him.
We could have a lot more of parties like that.