Intergenerational service learning with elders: multidisciplinary activities and outcomes.

This article provides an overview of the activities included in a 3-year, multidisciplinary, intergenerational service-learning project conducted as part of a Foundation for Long-Term Care Service Learning: Linking Three Generations grant. Courses from four departments (gerontology, psychology, occupational therapy, and health promotion and physical education) and one interdisciplinary clinical intervention for stroke patients (speech pathology, occupational therapy, and therapeutic recreation) were involved. Service-learning activities were embedded in course curricula and varied from semester-long activities in group settings to activities involving one-on-one contact for several hours. In total, eight faculty and 225 students worked with 148 elders and 12 different community organizations to plan and implement activities for 357 older adults. Students and elders reported a high degree of satisfaction with the intergenerational activities and indicated that they learned from them and found them of value personally.

Comparison study: the impact of on-site comprehensive service access on self-reported health and functional status of older adults.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of on-site comprehensive service access by comparing functional outcomes and self-rated health between 2 older adult samples. METHODS: Data came from 131 randomly selected residents living independently in 2 retirement communities that provided on-site comprehensive service access and 1723 community-dwelling older adults from the second Longitudinal Study on Aging, Wave 3 (LSOA II), who did not have compatible services access. All subjects were age 70+, white, with intact cognitive function, and had 12 or more years of education. We applied regressed measures of functional status and self-rated health on on-site comprehensive service access (yes versus no) in multivariate models that adjusted for covariates. RESULTS: After adjusting for covariates, results indicated that residents with access to on-site comprehensive service settings is significantly associated with less risk for activities of daily living (ADL) limitations (beta = -0.40, P < .001) and Nagi impairments (beta = -0.62, P

The impact of gerontology inclusion on 12th grade student perceptions of aging, older adults and working with elders.

The present study examines the impact of including lessons on aging in a 12th grade social studies course on student perceptions of aging and older adults, working with older persons, and knowledge of "facts" on aging. Pre/post-test data were collected from approximately 650 upstate New York 12th grade students enrolled in a government class that included from five to ten lessons on aging issues. Over two-thirds of the semantic differential and four of five job-related questions showed a significant change to more positive views of aging. Changes on the "fact" questions were mixed but students uniformly reported that the interview with an older adult assignment changed their view of the older person with whom they talked and was the most popular activity in the unit. These findings suggest that including information on aging in a high school social studies course can lead to more positive student perceptions of aging and general attitudes toward working with older adults.

An intergenerational partnership between a college and congregate housing facility: how it works, what it means.

PURPOSE: We describe the goals, development, operation, and outcomes of an intergenerational programmatic relationship between a private comprehensive college and a congregate facility that houses both independent-living apartments and assisted living for older adults. DESIGN AND METHODS: Activities are based on a communal-developmental model that promotes "learning with" as opposed to "doing for." We identify key components involved in implementing such a model and provide examples of the activities that constitute the programmatic relationship. We also identify program implementation challenges and discuss outcomes. RESULTS: Faculty and students report that partnership activities provide excellent opportunities for increasing the understanding of aging and older adults. Residents report programs provide social, recreational, and educational benefits. IMPLICATIONS: Programmatic partnerships between colleges and residential facilities for older adults provide many benefits for students and residents. They require shared responsibility, deliberate and creative planning, and ongoing coordination.

Infusing gerontology into grades 7-12 social studies curricula.

PURPOSE: This paper describes a model process to increase the exposure of middle and high school students to information on aging so they better understand the implications of an aging population and the stereotypes of older adults. DESIGN AND METHODS: A college Gerontology Institute, a social studies teacher education faculty member, and middle/high school social studies teachers collaborated on a program to develop and implement lesson plans that incorporate information on aging into existing courses. Institute staff provided expertise on gerontology and student teachers assisted in writing lesson plan objectives. RESULTS: Teachers developed about a dozen lessons covering from one class to two weeks in subjects such as global history, participation in government, Western civilizations, economics, and government. This experience suggests a number of issues that should be addressed when developing a gerontology infusion initiative with school teachers. IMPLICATIONS: Information on aging can be successfully incorporated into existing school curricula within the constraints of mandated learning objectives.