“Give and Receive”: The Impact of an Intergenerational Program on Institutionalized Children and Older Adults

ABSTRACT

This study describes the effects of an intergenerational program on self-esteem, loneliness, depression and happiness of a sample of six institutionalized children and six institutionalized older adults. A mixed-method with a pre-post approach was used. Such impact occurred in purpose, well-being and positive emotions, intergenerational sharing, and community involvement. The difficulties found were mobility constraints, low emotional expression and alphabetization (in elders), difficulty in establishing affective bonds (in children) and, also, length and periodicity. These results are discussed, and the implications of the psychosocial impact of such programs on all agents implicated in the intergenerational relationships are highlighted.

KEYWORDS:

• Intergenerational program
• institutionalized children and older adults
• intergenerational relationships
• intergenerational benefits

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank all participants, professionals and staff for voluntarily getting involved in this project. We would also like to thank Inter IKEA Centre Group, S.A., who funded this project, along with all the staff who showed an interest and invested in it.