How’s this for a mentoring program? A preschool in a nursing home

Providence Mount Saint Vincent retirement home in Seattle brings together the very young and the very old in an effort to stave off the loneliness of late life and help children grow into healthy, caring people.

“Present Perfect,” a poignant documentary about the program by filmmaker Evan Briggs, “explores the very real experience of aging in America—both growing up, and growing old,” the film’s website states.

It was filmed in a preschool housed completely within a retirement home, powerfully capturing the subtleties and complexities of the young children’s interactions with the elderly residents, while challenging us to consider what we’re doing—and what we’re not—to prepare future generations for what’s to come. What value does a person have to others throughout their life? Are we asking for the right contributions from each other? How do we measure and define a successful life? While this film doesn’t shy away from confronting some difficult realities, it is ultimately a life-affirming story of hope and the power of human connection at any age.

The film is due to be finished in summer 2016.

—Posted by Alexander Reed Kelly.