“Age XXL”: Activities And Impact Of The Intergenerational And Inclusive Project In The School Community, Prisoners And The Elderly’s Perception

ABSTRACT

With the aging population, there is a need to develop intergenerational activities to promoting healthy aging. “Age XXL” was an intergenerational project in Portugal where older adults attending an institution providing social care and support services for this population exchanged correspondences with children, taught history and citizenship classes in schools and jails, and helped realize the dreams of other elderly people. The aim of this study was to identify the preliminary phases of the design of the intervention project, the activities developed, and the assessment of its social impact. Results show a better perception among the participants regarding their skills and contributions, enabling them to understand and recognize their importance in society.

KEYWORDS:

• intergenerational program
• healthy aging
• social change
• older adults
• inclusion

Acknowledgments

Cediara – Associação de Solidariedade Social de Ribeira de Fráguas; Colégio de Albergaria-a-Velha; REN – Rede Elétrica Nacional, S.A.; Agrupamento de Escolas de Ribeira de Fráguas; Agrupamento de Escolas de Anadia; Estabelecimento Prisional de Aveiro; Estabelecimento Prisional de Viseu; Stone Soup Consulting; Professor Janessa Carvalho (English language revision).

Awards

REN Agir Award 2015 - Active Aging - “Age XXL” Project.

CV summary

Ph.D. in Neuroscience and Clinical Psychology by University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain). M.Sc. in Clinical Psychology by ESAE-ISMT (Portugal). B.Sc. in Psychology and BA in Social Work, both by ISMT. Neuropsychologist and General Director of Cediara - Social Solidarity Association of Ribeira de Fráguas (Albergaria-a-Velha, Portugal). Researcher at Health Sciences Research Unit: Nursing (UICISA:E), Nursing School of Coimbra (Portugal). Professor in several postgraduate and specialization courses in cognition and dementia. Scientific and Pedagogic Coordinator of Replicar Socialform. Author of several material for cognitive stimulation of older adults with neurocognitive disorders. Main investigator and coordinator of programs in cognitive stimulation (iCST) and reminiscence therapy (iRT) for people with neurocognitive or psychotics disorders. Co-author of scientific articles in the previously mentioned areas.

Disclosure statement

The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

Ethical considerations

Data confidentiality and informed consent are ensured.

Previous Presentations

Henriques, S. (2018). Proyecto IDADE XXL, un caso de éxito en el envejecimiento activo [Age XXL Project - A case of success in active aging]. Revista Española de Geriatría y Gerontología, 53, 168. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.regg.2018.04.400

Henriques, S. (2017). Projeto Idade XXL – Um caso de sucesso no Envelhecimento Ativo [Age XXL Project - A case of success in active aging]. VIII Simpósio Gerontologia, January 14th, Viseu.

Henriques, S. (2016). Projeto Idade XXL – Un caso de sucesso en envejecimento activo [Age XXL Project - A case of success in active aging]. VII Convención Intercontinental de Psicología – Hominis 2016, May 13th, La Habana, Cuba.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.