The purpose of this study was to examine the experience of Senior Companions with telephone reassurance program training delivered via Zoom and the feasibility of using teleconferencing as a platform for training older adult volunteers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Volunteers were recruited from a local Senior Companion Program. We assessed…

Intergenerational volunteerism is a global phenomenon that aids multiple generations. Considering the positive evidence of volunteering among older adults and their desire for engagement with children, it is important to explore older adult volunteers' experiences in intergenerational programs with a specific focus on the cultural and social…

The world population has changed spectacularly in the last decades. The growth in life expectancy is forcing a restructure in our policies and, obviously, education. For 2050, there will be 2.000 sixty plus year olds. That is more than 20% of the world population. Besides, discrimination for ageing and, sometimes, abandonment and abuse of elderly…

Objective: To describe the annual operational costs of a mature Experience Corps[R] program in elementary schools in the Baltimore City Public School System. Methods: Systematic records of expenditures kept by the community partner, Greater Homewood Community Corporation, to be reported to funders were made available for analysis. Expenditures…

What should grandparents be expected to learn in longevity societies experiencing rapid social transformation? Grounded theory was initially applied to identify assumptions, goals and curriculum. The Grandparent Strengths and Needs Inventory was developed to record the observations of grandparent attitudes and behaviours as seen by grandparents,…

This article aims to address the practical question of whether there is educational value to embedding second-language (L2) learning experiences in intergenerational contexts. In particular, a case study was conducted of a novel, university-based ESL program in Hong Kong in which a group of older adult volunteers with a high level of English…

Purpose: Stigma and lack of access to providers create barriers to mental health treatment for older adults living in the community. In order to address these barriers, we developed and evaluated a peer support intervention for older adults receiving Medicaid services. Design and Methods: Reclaiming Joy is a mental health intervention that pairs…

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…

Describes the volunteer advocacy program developed by the East Tennessee Advocacy Assistance Program to assist the ombudsman/director in resolving problems of residents in long-term care facilities. Effective volunteer participation requires intensive training, well-defined policies and procedures, coordination with aging network and long-term…

Describes an age-integrated program serving residents in long-term care facilities in New York State. Describes the program's inception, the nature of recruitment efforts, and the content of the training program. A number of illustrations of volunteer ombudsmen interventions are presented for the purpose of providing an overview of services.…

The SMILES (Senior Motivators in Learning and Educational Services) program was initiated in 1977 by Salt Lake City School Volunteers, Inc., a nonprofit organization working with the Salt Lake City School District, as an addition to an established, successful school volunteer program. The purpose of the SMILES program is to recruit and train older…

Considers what benefits volunteerism offers to the aging and to their communities, how this role for the aging is valued, what has been learned from the greater utilization of senior citizen volunteers, and how this opportunity can be provided to those who want it. (Author/AM)

This manual provides background information about the Senior Citizen School Volunteer Program (SCSVP) and describes the program model that has been developed and implemented by the staff of Generations Together in more than 75 schools. The SCSVP develops intergenerational programs by involving older people as volunteers in elementary and secondary…

Developed by the Gulf Coast Jewish Family Service, this handbook describes the Adopt-a-Grandchild Program, which matches older volunteers with children in need of adult guidance. The handbook is divided into the following sections: (1) program description; (2) guidelines for professional volunteers; (3) a job description for volunteers; (4)…

The Mechanicsburg Area (Pennsylvania) Phone Pal Program is a telephone reassurance program in which an older volunteer calls a child who is home alone before or after school. Calls are made at the same time each day. These daily calls provide both younger and older persons with a safety verification, in addition to fellowship. Phone Pal is…