Breads and Other Generations
Youth and older adults are a good combination when it comes to bread baking.
Older adults can share their expertise and stories and interact with young
people. Young people can assist the older person with some of the more
physical aspects of preparation and learn to appreciate and understand older
adults. An older adult can be someone who can listen to them and give them
greater insight on their thoughts and feelings. Bread making is such a
sensory experience--the feel, the taste and yes, even the sight of it can
conjure up memories and stories that each can share. Be sides, it's just
plain fun!
Are there any recipes passed down through the generations in your family? Any
breads you enjoyed on visits to relatives homes? Making recipes that are a
part of the family gives a young person a sense of belonging and remembering
good times.
Older adults, as many other people, have a variety of abilities and
disabilities; likes and dislikes. The main thing is to focus on
abilities--what they can do--rather than their disabilities. By your example,
help the youth to be flexible and allow the older person to adapt the steps in
bread making to fit them as much as possible.
It is also a good idea to have instructions written in large, bold type to
have on hand. Be sure to inquire about diet restrictions and allergies.
Bread is naturally low in sodium, sugar and fat, but some may be allergic to
wheat or other type of flour. Also, think about the spread or topping that
you may be serving on the bread.
The young people will want to be briefed beforehand about the types of
questions they might ask the older person to get to know them better and to
keep the conversation going. For example:
Did you make bread when you were my age?
(If yes), tell me about it! What did you make?
What kind of breads do you like? What is your favorite? Why?
What breads were popular when you were growing up?
Do you eat (have) special breads during the holiday? What kinds?
Do you have other traditions during the holidays?
Questions that allow the person more than a yes or no answer stimulate
conversation better.
It may take an older person some time to think of answers to questions, they
may need the young person to speak slower and more distinctly or to face them
so they are able to see their lips and expression in order to increase their
understanding. Sometimes it's easier for two of them to work side-by-side so
that both can get involved in the action. If the older person is somewhat
difficult, have the young person smile and think about the person's blue
ribbon qualities. Youth need to learn and will feel good about themselves
when they can show love and understanding for others.
Youth and older adults can interact in a supervised one-on-one activity with
grandparents, family friends, or neighbors. They can be paired up in a
nursing home setting. One 4-H group regularly invites an older person to help
with the group in exchange for companionship and a good "4-H member" cooked
meal! So a variety of scenarios are possible. The volunteers we asked like
to use the Fleischmann's bread making kits with a few modifications (see
attached).
Even when the older person is quite disabled, a gift of bread presented by a
child will melt their heart.
When working in a nursing home, be sure to contact the director well in
advance and follow his or her advice on setting up. Be considerate of their
time limitations and routines. If you can, allow 1 1/2 hours for the bread
making session, 30 minutes to get ready, and 15-30 minutes to clean up. If
this is your first time, limit the number of participants. If time is
precious, the children can take the bread home to be baked and the nursing
home cafeteria baked the bread for the residents.
Older persons who are not able to participate in this way, may have recipes to
share or will read children's books or poems with bread making theme during
the session. Older children may be especially interested in the short stories
about life in the early 1900s from "Voices of American Homemakers" by Eleanor
Arnold, editor, Indiana University Press, 1985.
Note: The intergenerational bread making activity might be a good publicity
or special interest item to encourage others to make bread. Think about
holding your activity during a National Bread Baking Month activity or during
Grandparent's Day (the Sunday after Labor Day). (However, just about any time
is a good time to make bread!) The youth may want to write up what they
learned from the older people about bread and their experience. They may wish
to send individual thank you notes to their friend and "letters to the Editor"
in a special 4-H week news column telling about their activities.
If you have questions about baking with yeast, Fleischmann's Yeast has a
toll-free number (1-800-227-6202) that is staffed between 10:00 am and 9:00
pm, Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.
The bread baking kit can be ordered from: Fleischmann's Bread Kits, P.O. Box
44, Dayton, MD 21036 for $15.00 in the contiguous 48 states and $22.50 per
kit in Alaska and Hawaii. These prices include shipping and handling. Make
check out to: BREADBAKE. Allow 4-6 weeks for shipment.
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This lesson plan was developed by Jan F. Scholl and 4-H Leaders and Members in
Pennsylvania as a part of a grant from National 4-H Council and the
Fleischmann's Yeast Company. No part of this document may be reprinted in any
form without previous permission.
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Contact for questions
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Updated 8/17/05