Service-learning opportunities are prominent on many college campuses. The process of designing and implementing service-learning experiences, especially for students of gerontology, however, has rarely been addressed. The current article briefly reviews the background and utility of service-learning in gerontology courses, describes our…

As intergenerational service-learning becomes an increasingly popular means for providing gerontology and health professional students with "real-life" experience, it is essential to consider the importance of strong community partnerships. Drawing upon a range of intergenerational service-learning experiences from two programs at…

Residential, familial, and recreational patterns of contemporary U.S. society tend to isolate the young from the old. Sensitivity to this isolation has prompted many human service agencies to seek ways to promote opportunities for constructive and ongoing interactions involving children and older persons. This paper provides insights and…

Many environmental problems are desperately in need of attention. Educating both adults and young people is seen as part of the solution to such problems. Given this situation, and the already considerable investment in environmental education in schools, the notion of encouraging students to initiate environmental discussions with adults at home…

The article presents a new technology design methodology that the authors have termed "Bonded Design" and that was applied by two intergenerational teams comprising adults and grade-three elementary school students in one case, and adults and grade-six students in a second case. The objective of each team was to design a low-tech web…

From an intergenerational training program for caregivers of children and frail elderly emerged a model for making program decisions. The model clusters potential activities in five categories: recreation/leisure, education, health promotion, public service, and personal development. It has four levels of selection criteria: match activities to…

Focusing on the role of information in the planning and managing of intergenerational programs, this paper argues that two types of information--formal/objective and personal/subjective--must be addressed in relation to the problems of aging members of our society. These two types of information are characterized via illustrative stories: the…

In an intergenerational service-learning project, occupational therapy interns provided wellness interventions for older adults residing in a community house. Occupational performance measures improved for six of eight clients. Students increased knowledge of wellness planning and programming. The program was consistent with the house's mission of…

Community educators in six cities involved youth in documenting ethnic gardening practices with master gardeners. Interviews with 29 educators, 28 participating youth, and 4 gardeners found that youth learned about gardening, developed positive relationships with elders, and enhanced skills. Implementing participatory research required more…

The Stride Rite Intergenerational Day Care Center is located in the Stride Rite Corporation's headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The facility is designed to provide day care to both children and elders, using two separate wings to afford privacy to each group and a large central area for informal interaction between children and elders. The…

Young and old joining together in intergenerational projects where they share their insights, skills, and experiences can strengthen community ties and improve the well-being of all participants. This bulletin explores ways both younger and older members of a community can work together on a crime prevention initiative. Such a partnership in…

Describes the goals, development, operation, and outcomes of an intergenerational programmatic relationship between a private college and a congregate facility for older adults. Faculty and students report that partnership activities provide excellent opportunities for increasing the understanding of aging and older adults. Residents report…

The manual is designed to help special education administrators, teachers, and other interested people to develop an intergenerational school volunteer program. Background information on the program serving Alleghany County (Pennsylvania) is provided along with a review of benefits for students, teachers, volunteers, and the schools. Concerns of…

Programs involving elderly persons in the provision of child care services have evolved as a possible solution to problems identified by working parents and the elderly. Community members must work together on clearly defined objectives if opportunities are to be provided for elderly persons to participate in meaningful intergenerational child…

Describes a 9-month intergenerational program designed to establish a more intimate involvement between a group of 25 fourth graders and 25 elderly volunteers from Senior Neighbors, a multipurpose senior citizens center. Presents the format used to organize the project and identifies ongoing activities and program benefits. (Author/PVV)