Against a background of low birthrates and an ageing population, we are again confronted by the importance of social ties between individuals and within various communities. Although the concept of intergenerational relationships is generally accepted as a positive influence, at the same time it is very difficult to sustain positive momentum, after program implementation. The object of this article is to explore reasons why intergenerational programs do not enjoy a greater degree of success, both short and long term, and to propose problem-solving measures. The obstacles that hinder the success of intergenerational programs can include: 1. Potential intergenerational conflicts; 2.The lack of a perceived need for intergenerational activities due to the loss of a necessity for interactions with older people; 3. The high level of commitment required by those who are officially responsible for the planning and management of the programs. Measures to facilitate the longevity of intergenerational programs include the following: 1.Implementation of projects that offer mutual benefits to all participants, including staff; 2. Introduction of objective and scientific methods of evaluation.

View full abstract

This paper aims to demonstrate that intergenerational interventions are applicable to kinship issues as well. As a typical example, this paper will focus on specific challenges faced by grandparents who raise their grandchildren through a literature review in the field of intergenerational studies. Since the mid-1980s, grandparents raising their grandchildren are the fastest growing care-giver group in the United States. Since this rapid increase is primarily attributable to such parental problems as drug exposure, paternal or maternal incarceration, death, child abuse and so on, most of the grandparents in parenting roles must cope with mental, physical, financial and legal challenges in order to fulfill their unexpected responsibilities. This paper concludes that it is highly necessary to perform intergenerational interventions when dealing with private or family issues in order to help such grandparents cope with their diverse needs and challenges.

View full abstract

The purpose of this study was to test a hypothetical model. In this model, elderly people’s generativity and generative acts did not lead to psychological well-being unless they also recieved positive feed-back from younger generations. The data derived from the questionnaires focused on 216 elderly people (M=64.47, SD=13.84). As a result, this hypothetical model could be verified only in relation to the negative emotional well-being model. This result shows the different effect of feed-back on positive and negative emotions.

View full abstract

It has been acknowledged that the development of social activities for the elderly in communities would solve various issues in modern society. However, actual community involvement and activities for senior citizens are scarce. Although elderly people want to participate in social activities, it is not always possible to find suitable activities.. This situation requires strategies to promote greater participation of seniors in community activities. The authors conducted a dementia prevention program, aimed at enhancing the health of the participants. In the program, the seniors were trained in how to read picture books. After the program, 26 out of the 54 participants expressed interest in participating in intergenerational activities. Various scales, including social participation/ psychological independence scales were used in analysis. The results suggested that those who are relatively psychologically independent, even if their current social participation score is low, will actively seek out intergenerational community activities.

View full abstract

This study clarified the types of parenting support given by senior volunteers to mothers and the influence it had on their physical and mental health status. The participants were thirty-eight community-dwelling elderly people and twenty three mothers, who lived in Hyogo, Japan. We carried out a baseline survey in November 2004, and a follow-up was completed a year later. In the parenting support group;PSG, the internal locus of control scores and 5m maximum walking speed significantly increased when measured one year later. In 2005, scores of Type A behavior, Locus of Control and learning activities, and the percentages of meeting the children in the neighborhood and reading book groups in the PSG were significantly higher than those in the non PSG. The Parenting Stress Index score for the mothers who did not receive parenting support significantly increased during the one year period. It was found that the parenting support by the senior volunteers had a positive influence on the physical and mental health status of the senior volunteers and mothers.

View full abstract

This study aimed to investigate the actual conditions of intergenerational exchanges between elementary school children and elderly participants at adult day care centers within the 23 wards of Tokyo, in order to evaluate their current condition, and to highlight any issues. The investigation was undertaken at institutions that have conducted social exchange programs with elementary schools, based on third-party evaluations and open information about business services attained from the web site administered by the Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for Social Welfare and Public Health. In addition, a phone survey was performed to collect data regarding the frequency, contents, places, evaluation tools, and existing coordinators of the exchange activities in a multiple answer format. While there are 1,331 adult day care centers in Tokyo, only 66 institutions had undertaken exchange activities with elementary schools. It was found that most exchange activities were planned based on proposals by elementary schools as part of their teaching activities, and held only a few times a year as irregular events. Specific measures are required to build a sense of community, and to develop a program of regular activities within the community in the future.

View full abstract

This study examines the effect of an intergenerational program period with senior volunteers on stress relief of sixth-grade elementary schoolchildren. The period was designed so that senior volunteers taught the students how to read picture books. 84 sixth-grade students in a public elementary school in the City of Kawasaki participated in the study and used the Stress Response Scale, Social Support Scale and Social Desirability Scale. 17 students in the focus group with the intergenerational program and 39 students in the control group without the program were selected, after excluding 7 students with high score tendency of the Social Desirability Scale and 21 students with high parents’ social support scale score. The result indicates that the score of the mind-and-body condition which is a stress response scale, decreased in the focus group. The study also indicates that the students were relieved from the stress response both in mind and body after the intervention program.

View full abstract

The purpose of this study was to describe staff support and facilitation of intergenerational relationships among people in The Intergenerational School, OHIO, USA. Spradley’s ethnographic approach was applied, and participant observation and semi-structured interviews were conducted. Data was analyzed qualitatively. It was discovered that TIS was operating many programs in cooperation with members of the community. Three key categories were defined: an educational philosophy supporting a multi-generational learning environment, community based, multi-generational cooperation, creation of programs of mutual benefit to school and community. Each of the three core categories had three kinds of support; support from within TIS, support from the community, and support in connecting TIS and the community.

View full abstract

This is foundational research concerned with the development of programs to train childcare workers (currently college students), as human resources to promote intergenerational activities. Students participated in a cross-training program, carried out in a child-senior integrated institution. The survey items concerned their perceptions of elderly people, how much of the practical they completed, and also their attitudes while undertaking the practical. This evaluation and analysis was instrumental in formulating the following proposals in order to improve the program for future participants. 1. Strengthening and expanding the program to include more activities that bring the students into direct contact with elderly people and lectures to foster a deeper understanding of elderly people. 2. Enhancement of the program so that students can participate in intergenerational activities to improve their skills in guiding children and elderly people. 3. Modifications to the program so that students are able to participate in the conference for staff.

View full abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of senior volunteer activities on images of the elderly among junior high school students. We used a short version emotion/perception scale regarding the elderly and analysed the data using the SD (semantic differential) method. The participants were 735 boys and girls living in Kawasaki city. Factor analysis was performed to clarify the structure of the images. It resulted in the extraction of two factors, evaluation and potency / activity and supported prior research findings. Using the multiple logistic regression model, related variables for a higher score in the evaluation subscale included a higher frequency of exchange and greater familiarity with the elderly, and a more pronounced interest in reading picture books. . Overall, those in the third grade of middle school had higher scores on the scales than those in the first and second grades. Although students’ positive perceptions of the elderly declined as they moved into higher grades , senior volunteer activities are highly influential in preventing such a decline.

View full abstract

[in Japanese]

View full abstract

[in Japanese]

View full abstract

[in Japanese]

View full abstract

[in Japanese]

View full abstract

[in Japanese]

View full abstract

[in Japanese]

View full abstract