Elderly-Children Intergenerational Learning: Types and Outcomes of Programs

Abstract

The aim of the present paper is to gather knowledge on intergenerational learning programs that bring together the elderly and children or youth. This documentary research was carried out by collecting English academic articles on elderly-children intergenerational learning- not including family activities, published between 2007 and 2016 from the Scopus database. The data were analyzed by using content analysis and thematic analysis. The results revealed the 4 types of programs: the elderly and children serving each other or sharing community service 16.5%; the elderly serving children or youth 13.6%; children or youth serving the elderly 6.8%; personnel as the main providers of service 6.8%, and others. The programs affected 3 groups of people: children or youth; the elderly; and community or society.  The benefits for those attending a program can be divided into attitudes, physical and mental health, skills and knowledge, and behavioral aspects. The challenge for developing this body of knowledge is to bring the lesson learned from the implementation of the elderly-children intergenerational learning programs into practice in the context of Thailand.