Linking Long-Term Care Residents with Elementary Students via a Pen Pal Program

The Effect of a Music Therapy Intergenerational Program on Children and Older Adults' Intergenerational Interactions, Cross-Age Attitudes, and Older Adults' Psychosocial Well-Being

“…Intergenerational programs engage both generations in structured activities to decrease negative cross-age attitudes. Activities employed in intergenerational programs have included choirs, mentoring programs, weekly visits, and pen-pal and reading programs (Angelis, 1992;Cherry, Benest, Gates, & White, 1985;Cote, Mosher, Ashley, & Kiernan, 2002;Darrow, Johnson, & Ollenberger, 1994;Dellmann-Jenkins, Fowler, Lambert, Fruit, & Richardson, 1994;Dunkle & Mikielthum, 1983;Kaplin & Larkin, 2004;Meshel & McGlynn, 2004).…”

“…Intergenerational programs meet these needs because the foundation of any type of interpersonal interaction is social, though sometimes the task of an intergenerational group is academic as well as social-such as improving math skills through mentoring programs, or fostering prosocial behaviors such as sharing and cooperating with others. Other objectives of intergenerational programs have included improving the self-esteem of elementary-age children, increasing adolescents" knowledge of the aging cycle, encouraging young adults to work in gerontological related careers, fostering positive crossage interactions, and enhancing older adults" psychosocial well-being (Cote, Mosher, Ashley, & Kiernan, 2002;Cummings, Williams, & Ellis, 2003;Dellman-Jenkins, Lambert, & Fruit, 1999;Hill, 2007;Lowenthal & Egan, 1991;Kassab & Vance, 1999;Marx, Pannell, Parpon-Gil, & Cohen-Mansfield, 2004;Rosenberg, 1993;Underwood & Dorfman, 2006). For young people to be successful in life, they must develop a variety of social skills as they age.…”

“…However, the function of the music changes because the skills required of adolescents and young adults to complete music activities are more advanced than the skills needed by young children. The body of research conducted in intergenerational settings is growing; however, the majority of this research focuses on the benefits afforded to the younger generation (Cote, Mosher-Ashley, & Kiernan, 2002;Dellmann-Jenkins, Fowler, Lambert, Fruit, & Richardson, 1994;Femia, Zarit, Blair, Jarrott, & Bruno, 2008;Kassab & Vance, 1999), with only few studies focusing on the benefits older adults receive from these interactions (Newman, Karip, & Faux, 1995;Underwoood & Dorfman, 2006;Ward, Kamp, & Newman, 1996).…”

The Current Landscape of Studies Involving Intergenerational Letter and Email Writing: A Systematic Scoping Review and Textual Narrative Synthesis

“…While there has been a longstanding interest in the impact of letter writing on well-being (Gibbons, 2012; Krzeczkowska et al, 2021; Mosher & Danoff-Burg, 2006; Nicolini, 2008; Pennebaker & Seagal, 1999), the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures taken to control it, such as lockdowns, have created renewed interest in forms of socially distanced interaction between people, especially intergenerational interactions. One form of interaction that has received renewed attention are written forms of communication, such as letter or email writing to maintain social contact (Blunt, 2020; Long, 2022) or to develop new connections by facilitating exchanges, thus nurturing bonds between separate individuals and groups (Cote et al, 2003; Pole, 2015). Such possibilities are especially important in forging bonds across intergenerational letter writers.…”

“…The existing body of research on intergenerational activities, which can be traced to the 1960s in the United States, demonstrates a great variety in population groups participating in intergenerational initiatives (such as primary school children or teenagers with older adults), and the type and duration of these with activities ranging from one-time arts and crafts events to ongoing service models providing services such as mentoring (Aday et al, 1991; Bales et al, 2000; Chase, 2010; Cote et al, 2003; Marx et al, 2005; Rhodes et al, 2006). The literature describes a range of benefits for the participating groups involved.…”