Long-term studies monitoring the process of young people adopting new media patterns of social interaction and communication with parents and peers are needed to better understand how young people cope with perpetual peer communication, how parents and adolescents deal with intergenerational conflicts, and the outcomes of these practices and…

This research looked at five intergenerational projects focusing on football, arts, knife crime, living history and personal and social education. Two projects ran in schools, one in a health centre, one in a youth drop-in centre and one at a football club. Each project had its own aims, but in addition to these, the projects aimed to improve…

Given the growth in the number of older adults and the ageist attitudes many in the health care profession hold, interventions aimed at improving health professionals' attitudes toward older adults are imperative. Vital Visionaries is an intergenerational art program designed to improve medical students' attitudes toward older adults. Participants…

This article examines the process of adults and students collaborating in school-based learning communities. Drawing on interview data from youth and adults participating in student voice initiatives in the San Francisco Bay Area, this study examines contexts that enable "youth-adult partnerships" in schools, including (1) fostering…

The Experience Corps[R], a community-based intergenerational program, was developed to promote the health of older adults while simultaneously addressing unmet social and academic needs in public elementary schools. The model was designed to draw on, and potentially activate, the wisdom of older adults. This paper explores the nature of…

For many grandchildren their grandparents are "special" people, and the time they spend together often generates memorable experiences and conversations that are educational. Yet society underestimates the impact that grandparents have as mentors and role models for children. Through spontaneous, shared activities grandparents support the science…

According to focus groups with 4-H adult and teen volunteers in Ohio, teens felt the most effective adults had a sense of humor, flexibility, and open minds; adults felt effective teens were self-confident, motivated, respectful, and mature. Teens thought adults did not listen to or understand them. Adults seemed to expect adult-like behavior from…

Notes the importance of elders in various Native American cultures and of drawing on personal memories of special older folks. Stresses the importance and value of contact between the generations. Urges schools to adopt intergenerational programs, citing the remarkable contributions older people can make to the lives of children. (TJQ)

The rural Montana Befrienders program pairs homebound older adults with volunteers aged 19-35 for companionship and assistance. Formal and informal evaluation identified benefits for seniors, their families, and volunteers. Most of the elders wanted volunteers to spend more time with them. (SK)

Responses from 59 of 80 undergraduate gerontology students participating in the Elder Mentor Relationship program revealed that, despite initial apprehension, most students found it rewarding. It increased their understanding about aging, fostered respect and admiration, and contributed to personal growth. (SK)

In the Befrienders program, young adults visited, interacted with, and assisted homebound, isolated older adults. Participants (20 younger, 22 older) and the seniors' family members identified numerous benefits and valued the intergenerational relationships that were formed. (SK)

This document contains a brief bibliography of peer-reviewed literature, with abstracts, on intergenerational relationships. It is one of 12 bibliographies on aging prepared by the National Agricultural Library for its "Pathfinders" series of publications. Topics covered by the other 11 bibliographies include aging parents, adult…

In an applied communication course in a Boise (Idaho) high school, at-risk students participate in exchanges with a senior citizens' center, learn about work force readiness, and work with developmentally disabled children. (SK)

Suggests many ways in which to connect with the elderly community. Notes that such connections are based on mutual needs. Describes several instances where elderly people were able to connect and contribute to the education of the younger community. (SG)

Ten elderly members of an adult day care center were observed before and during an intervention with an itnergenerational nursery school at the center. Significantly higher levels of social interaction and lower levels of solitary behaviors were observed when the school was in session. (SK)