2 weeks Ago By Pacific Daily News
While a bill to allow intergenerational day care centers drew support during a public hearing Thursday, Department of Public Health and Social Services Director Theresa Arriola raised concerns. Bill 95-38 would allow the operation of facilities that meet the health and safety requirements for both child and adult day care and incorporate programming that allows the two groups to interact. An intergenerational care center was a goal of Maelonie “Lani” Tamondong, owner of the Giving Tree Early Learning Center and Helping Hands Adult Daycare.
But Guam doesn’t have regulations for this type of business, which exists in other countries as well as the mainland U.S. and Hawaii.
Tamondong explained the concept to the Legislature’s committee on health, outlining her research and vision. Her testimony drew support from the Guam Women’s Chamber of Commerce, the Bureau of Women’s Affairs and Public Health – which would be responsible for establishing rules and regulations for the facilities. Arriola testified that intergenerational day care could be good for children and older adults “by encouraging meaningful social interactions and enhancing cognitive and emotional well-being for both groups.
” But she called for amendments to the proposed legislation, listing potential problems with intergenerational care. They included: The bill states that nobody convicted of a sex offense will be admitted into the facility, but Arriola said the prohibitions should be extended to include “any form of violence, including domestic violence, child abuse, kidnapping and offenses relative to drugs and weapons.” She also said the amount of time needed to prepare regulations should be 180 days upon enactment, instead of the 60 days provided in the bill, because of the complexity of rules involved.
Tamondong expressed frustration, because rules and regulations already exist in other jurisdictions, and Guam could use those rules as a template. She said many of the concerns raised by Public Health have already been resolved in the facility she wants to run, which has separate quarters and restrooms for the children and adults, and medications are kept in secure lockers. The children and adults would spend time together, but they wouldn’t spend all of their time together.
“Age segregation, that’s not normal,” Tamondong said. “For children to think that this is normal, to only be around children, they don’t get an idea that, hey, you know what? Aging is a normal process.” Arriola reiterated that Public Health supports the bill, but regulations have to be developed.
“The concept of intergenerational day care may not be new to the world, but it’s new to Guam,” she said. “So it’s a new industry or a new mindset.” Sen.
Tina Muña Barnes, who introduced the legislation, said she would review the bill and proffer amendments to make the proposal safer for children and adults. After hearing testimony on the proposal, Committee Chair Sabrina Salas Matanane said she was reminded why she sought public office – to effectuate change. “Seeing everybody speak, I actually want to be a sponsor of this bill, a co-sponsor of this bill,” she said.
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