Breaking generational boundaries

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The population of the world is ageing. Practically, every country in the world is undergoing population growth in older persons. It has become one of the most major transformations of the 21st century. As the elderly population is growing, many of them are living alone and consequently facing social isolation. Thus the loneliness of the elderly commonly results in poor health conditions. Besides that, ageism is common in Britain and several changes in society today has formed boundaries between the younger and older generations.

In this project, intergenerational care will be introduced as a scheme to promote supportive attitudes and behaviors between the young and old. It is a shared living environment where multiple generations getting involved in various planned and informal programs. Intergenerational contact is linked to behaviors that positively impact older people and the wider community. Additionally, it is proven that young people who experience contact with the elderly are more likely to have positive behaviors towards older people in general. On the other hand, older adults that are involved in intergenerational connections have proven that it benefits them in many ways. They experience a sense of purpose as well as improvement in mental and physical health. This proposal intends to encourage reciprocity relationships between generations to reduce social isolation in older adults as well as to decrease prejudice and prevent ageism between age groups.