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Center for Intergenerational Policy and Practice
Research on Healthy Aging and Illustrative Benefits of Intergenerational Activities for Older Adults
- Rowe and Kahn, MDs (1998) conclude that close relationships with others seem to protect older people from the damaging mental and physical health effects of stressful life events. This protection ranges from lower risk of arthritis to less depression. Successful Aging, Dell Publishing.
- According to Wren (1991), older adults report that involvement in intergenerational projects increases self-esteem and satisfaction with social relationships as well as the learning of new skills and improved self-worth and health.
- According to Marx (1980), the more generations interact the greater the potential for breaking down existing mutual stereotypes and for changing attitudes and fears associated with being and growing old.
- Rogers and Taylor (1997) report that older adults engaged in intergenerational activities have decreased their sense of loneliness, boredom, and depression.
- Kleyman (1990) reports older adults who participated in intergenerational child care were found to have increased feelings of self-worth (feelings of being needed and valued) and increased social contact.
- According to Hart (1999), helping others contributes to the maintenance of good health, and can diminish the effect of psychological and physical diseases and disorders.
- Manheim (1997) reports that intergenerational projects generate increased tolerance, comfort and intimacy between generations and dispel negative stereotypes of aging and old age.
- According to a 1998 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), one out of three senior citizens does not have the health literacy skills necessary to understand instructions for prescriptions, medical forms and doctors’directions on self-care.
- Frederickson (1990) reports that “cultivating positive emotions can intervene in the downward spiral of the negative emotions of fear, depression, and anger.” This is important because these emotions can swell into chronic depression, precipitate suicide, lead to heart disease and cancer, and foster anti-social behavior such as violence.
- Diener (2002) has completed extensive cross-cultural studies of subjective well-being (how people evaluate their lives) and has found that happy people have stronger immune systems and there is evidence that they live longer.
The above studies were compiled by Intergenerational Strategies as a public service.
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