Abstract
Objectives The objectives of this study were (1) to clarify changes in social concern in intergenerational programs and (2) to determine the current state of and issues affecting intergenerational programs.
Methods Articles including the words “intergenerational programs” were selected from 3 major Japanese newspapers (Asahi Shimbun, Yomiuri Shimbun, and Mainichi Shimbun) using an online database (399 articles). Content analysis was conducted to check changes in the number and content of articles. A total of 56 cases of intergenerational programs were selected, and a questionnaire survey was conducted with the responsible organization. The problems were classified using cluster analysis.
Results Content analysis revealed that the number of articles relating to this topic increased towards the end of the 1990s, which corresponds with a change in social policy. The questionnaire survey revealed that most of the intergenerational programs were either annual or periodic activities. Furthermore, it was shown that the 4 main issues facing current intergenerational programs were the intergenerational gap, operating problems, activity selection, and lack of participants.
Conclusion In summary, social concern regarding the intergenerational programs has increased. However, most intergenerational programs were infrequent and quite time-intensive. Furthermore, the 4 issues mentioned above must be addressed in order to create programs that have wide-ranging benefits for each community. Resolving the problem of compartmentalized administration and appointing local coordinators is necessary to solve these problems.
