[Pre-post evaluation of an intergenerational program to improve wellbeing in older adults and age stereotypes in primary and secondary students: CRENCO project]. / Evaluación pre-post de un programa intergeneracional para mejorar el bienestar en personas mayores y los estereotipos edadistas en alumnos de primaria y secundaria: proyecto CRENCO.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the CRENCO project which was carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic including intergenerational activities shared by students from primary and secondary education and users of two centers for older adults and a day hospital in Catalonia. The effectiveness was assessed in terms of well-being in older adults and on negative stereotypes about the elderly in primary and secondary students. METHODS: Three interventions were carried out in which 32 older persons (9 users of centers for older adults and 23 of a day hospital), 99 primary students and 56 secondary students participated. Participants answered a questionnaire before and after the interventions. Through multilevel linear models for repeated measures, changes in feelings of loneliness, social support, anxiety and depressive symptoms, self-reported health and health-related quality of life were evaluated in older people. In primary and secondary students, changes in age stereotypes were evaluated. RESULTS: Health-related quality of life and self-reported health improved statistically after the interventions in older persons. Users of the day hospital also reported an improvement in social support. Primary school students improved their age stereotypes; no statistically significant changes were detected in secondary students. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study contribute to underlining the importance of intergenerational programs such as the one proposed by CRENCO, capable of improving well-being and providing a more realistic vision of the older adults. Our results suggest that these programs should be implemented during childhood in order to prevent the proliferation of ageist stereotypes in later life stages.

Evaluación pre-post de un programa intergeneracional para mejorar el bienestar en personas mayores y los estereotipos edadistas en alumnos de primaria y secundaria: proyecto CRENCO / Pre-post evaluation of an intergenerational program to improve wellbeing in older adults and age stereotypes in primary and secondary students: CRENCO project

Objetivo: El presente estudio tiene como objetivo evaluar la efectividad del proyecto CRENCO, que se desarrolló durante la pandemia por COVID-19, incluyendo actividades intergeneracionales compartidas por alumnos de primaria y secundaria y personas mayores en Cataluña. Se evalúa su efecto en el bienestar de las personas mayores y en los estereotipos negativos sobre las personas mayores de los alumnos.Métodos: Se llevaron a cabo tres intervenciones en las que participaron 32 personas mayores (9 usuarios de centros para mayores y 23 de un hospital de día), 99 alumnos de primaria y 56 alumnos de secundaria. Los participantes fueron entrevistados antes y después de las intervenciones. A través de modelos lineales multinivel de efectos aleatorios para medidas repetidas, se evaluaron, en personas mayores, cambios en sentimientos de soledad, soporte social, sintomatología ansiosa y depresiva, salud autopercibida y calidad de vida relacionada con la salud. En alumnos de primaria y secundaria se evaluaron cambios en estereotipos edadistas.Resultados: Las personas mayores reportaron una mejor calidad de vida relacionada con la salud y una mejor salud autopercibida al finalizar las intervenciones. Los usuarios del hospital de día reportaron también una mejora en el soporte social. Los alumnos de primaria mejoraron sus estereotipos edadistas, lo cual no sucedió en estudiantes de secundaria.Conclusiones: Los resultados del presente estudio contribuyen a subrayar la importancia de programas intergeneracionales como el que plantea CRENCO, capaces de mejorar el bienestar y aportar una visión más realista de las personas mayores. Nuestros resultados sugieren que estos proyectos deben ser implantados durante la infancia con el objetivo de impedir la proliferación de los estereotipos edadistas en las posteriores etapas vitales. (AU)

Objective: The present study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the CRENCO project which was carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic including intergenerational activities shared by students from primary and secondary education and users of two centers for older adults and a day hospital in Catalonia. The effectiveness was assessed in terms of well-being in older adults and on negative stereotypes about the elderly in primary and secondary students.Methods: Three interventions were carried out in which 32 older persons (9 users of centers for older adults and 23 of a day hospital), 99 primary students and 56 secondary students participated. Participants answered a questionnaire before and after the interventions. Through multilevel linear models for repeated measures, changes in feelings of loneliness, social support, anxiety and depressive symptoms, self-reported health and health-related quality of life were evaluated in older people. In primary and secondary students, changes in age stereotypes were evaluated.Results: Health-related quality of life and self-reported health improved statistically after the interventions in older persons. Users of the day hospital also reported an improvement in social support. Primary school students improved their age stereotypes; no statistically significant changes were detected in secondary students.Conclusion: The results of the present study contribute to underlining the importance of intergenerational programs such as the one proposed by CRENCO, capable of improving well-being and providing a more realistic vision of the older adults. Our results suggest that these programs should be implemented during childhood in order to prevent the proliferation of ageist stereotypes in later life stages. (AU)