Essay on Benefits of Intergenerational Programs

Intergenerational programs involve social frameworks that provide the youth and older generation opportunities to interact and engage on various issues related to the society. Often, these programs use formulated to purposefully bring people together from various generations to gain mutual benefits and take part in various activities that are planned to achieve specific program goals (Brady, 1997). Through these intergenerational programs, people originating from all age groups are able to share their unique talents and resources, supporting each other in various relationships that benefit both the individual and the community as a whole. The success of a program is based on reciprocity and often involves educational content prepared for all ages. Youth and elderly participating in the programs are viewed as assets but not problems to be solved. In America for instance, citizens over the age of 65 years who forms part of the older in the society forms part of the resource needed in the intergenerational programs. The older citizens spend an average of 96 hours every year than any other segment of the population and are often the most useful volunteers for such programs (Jarrott, Gigliotti & Smock, 2006). The youth are also able to provide companionship to the older and help manage such programs and benefit the community. In other words, the intergenerational programs have fostered corporation and promoted healthy interaction among different generations where the youth can serve the older adults, older serve the youth or both youth and older people in the society serving together.

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Benefits for older people

Studies have shown that older people in the society who engage in voluntary activities have better health. These people live longer and experience a better physical and mental health as compared to the non-volunteering members. The older often aim to remain productive and engage more in the community services. In an aim to avoid isolation in later years, it is essential to increase the interaction with the youth and their children. About 45 percent of the American citizens who work in retirement prefer working with the youth (Gigliotti et al., 2005). When participating in Intergenerational programs, older people acquire new skills and learn new technologies from the younger people. When learning the new technological innovations, the older people often incorporate skills they acquired earlier. This has increased motivation and their commitment to the intergenerational programs since they feel part of their development.

Additionally, intergenerational programs have helped increased emotional support and improved health to the older people. The existing periodic participation in the structured social activities in large groups has shown significant health and functional outcomes (Jarrott & Smith, 2011). At the same time, about 20 percent or more calories are burnt every week thereby performing even better than their peers who fail to participate in the programs. Older people with certain health complications such as dementia and other impairments have experienced positive effect during their interaction the youth when involved in the intergenerational activities.

Benefits for the Youth

Volunteering and progressive civic engagement among young people have significantly grown in recent years. Involvement in various community projects has numerous benefits including but not limited to skills, empowerment, values and leadership attributes. The youth at tender ages have built their reading foundations from various activities they are involved in from kindergarten through to their third grades. In this case, intergenerational programs have played an essential role in literacy development (Skropeta, Colvin & Sladen, 2014). Schools that incorporate older people in their fixtures improve their reading scores as compared to other schools that do not fix older people.

When older people interact with the youth, they develop social networks, problem-solving skills, communication skills and a positive sense towards community service. It is also expected to improve the youth self-esteem. The young people who interact with older people experience an increased personal and social development.

Other benefits to the youth include a decreased negative behavior and increased stability. Often, youth participating in intergenerational programs are less likely to be engaged in an illegal substance. They will gain positive role models in their interactions creating positive relationships to civic attitudes including a sense of trust and efficacy in the society.

Benefits to the Community

The participation in intergenerational programs often brings together diverse groups and networks that help to dispel inaccurately and some negative stereotypes. Therefore, the sharing talent and resources will help create a unified group identity. The youth and older people are often less alienated while the entire community recognizes that they can significantly contribute to the wellness of the society (Foster, 1997). In this case, therefore, intergenerational programs will help in the preservation of historical and the cultural tradition hence enhancing the community spirit and strengthening the existing partnership among the community and individual citizens.

Additionally, the program can help maximize the human resource and help exchange culture. The program will increase the human resources through the engagement of older people and the youth since there will be the interaction of different types of population. It promotes the transmission of the cultural traditions and values for the older people to the youth helping build a sense of personal and societal identity and enhance tolerance.

To implement intergenerational programs, it is required that the respondents appreciate the overall capacity for the programming and also respect individual participants. Sustainability of any program involving people of different age groups often depends on a continuous implementation of flexible and developmentally appropriate activities that are based on the individual participants efforts. Respondents need to continue building effective practices and encourage a positive intergenerational contract that would increase community participation and overall growth. Furthermore, there is a need to ensure continuity of friendship and increase support from family stakeholders to provide an opportunity that will help maintain and create sustainable relationships.

Conclusion

In a nutshell, when various generations come together and participate in various programs, the youth, the older people and the entire community benefits significantly. There exist clear positive outcomes for all members involved in the Intergenerational programs. The youth and younger generation are exposed to the elders tradition thereby increasing their experience in various life issues. Because of the continuous interaction, older people in the society are able to increase their social networking and stay physically active which further benefits their health and mental outcome. The overall community will benefit when every member is engaged and included in various procedures and processes. This is expected to shun away age-related myths and stereotypes and can help address various societal concerns like literacy, environmental issues, health, and crimes. There exist policies that can be implemented to support intergenerational programs through the promotion of civic engagement and continuous engagement of intergenerational solutions to various community issues. In other words, connecting the entire population through the intergenerational programs make sense and increases unity and cohesion.

References

Brady, P. E. (1997). Intergenerational Child Care: A Venture into the Future. Nursing Homes-Washington-, 46, 20-26.

Foster, K. B. (1997). Creating a Child Care Center in a Nursing Home and Implementing an Intergenerational Program.

Gigliotti, C., Morris, M., Smock, S., Jarrott, S. E., & Graham, B. (2005). An intergenerational summer program involving persons with dementia and preschool children. Educational Gerontology, 31(6), 425-441.

Jarrott, S. E., & Smith, C. L. (2011). The complement of research and theory in practice: contact theory at work in nonfamilial intergenerational programs. The Gerontologist, 51(1), 112-121.

Jarrott, S. E., Gigliotti, C. M., & Smock, S. A. (2006). Where do we stand? Testing the foundation of a shared site intergenerational program. Journal of Intergenerational Relationships, 4(2), 73-92.

Skropeta, C. M., Colvin, A., & Sladen, S. (2014). An evaluative study of the benefits of participating in intergenerational playgroups in aged care for older people. BMC geriatrics, 14(1), 1.