Promoting meaningful engagement for residents living with dementia through intergenerational programs: a pilot study

Abstract

Objectives

Residents living with dementia in residential aged care facilities (RACFs) have reduced access to, and opportunities for, participation in meaningful activities. This leads to increased social isolation and disengagement. Intergenerational programs aim to overcome these issues. Allied health students piloted a live-intergenerational program (LIP), living onsite at a residential aged care facility (RACF) while volunteering for 30 h a month. The purpose of this study was to explore the impact and practicalities for implementing a LIP in an Australian RACF.

Methods

This qualitative descriptive pilot study was undertaken to explore the diverse perspectives of various stakeholders. Qualitative data were collected during group discussions directed by the nominal group technique with live-in-students. Interviews were conducted with staff members, relatives, facility management and volunteers. All qualitative data were analysed thematically.

Results

Two overarching themes emerged. The first, community of care, indicated how care partners and the care context, organisational support and being a live-in-student supported the sustainability of the program. Live-in-students’ accessibility promoted opportunities for occupational and social engagement of residents when staff was less available. The second, a collective based on belonging and shared doing, highlighted the program’s potential impact and uncovered the development of a collective based on shared belonging.

Conclusion

The LIP highlighted the potential for new dimensions to person-centred care. The pilot study demonstrated intergenerational contact within aged residential care supported the evolvement of a collective and promoted a social approach for ageing well. Further research is needed to identify the long-term impact of the LIP and explore the feasibility of expanding the program.

Keywords:

• Social and occupational engagement
• long-term care
• quality of life/wellbeing
• psychosocial and cultural aspects
• qualitative methods

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the leadership, staff, residents, relatives and live-in students of the participating facility who contributed to the data collection.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Ethics approval

HREC of the University of Sydney [2018/843].

Author’s contribution

SHJ du Toit, FL Low and C McDonnell designed the study. SHJ du Toit and K Angelou collected, analysed data and prepared the manuscript for publication.

Data availability statement

Table 6 is uploaded as supplemental online material.

Additional information

Funding

No funding was received to support this project.