October 1, 2023

The experiences of seniors are often overlooked and untapped. In the last two decades, intergenerational programmes have been used to empower seniors and nurture a renewed sense of purpose. These efforts are also supported with the commemoration of International Day of Older Persons on 1 October each year, when contributions of older persons to society and their communities are celebrated. In ‘Generativity: Establishing and Nurturing the Next Generation’ (Journal of Intergenerational Relations, 2019), Cheryl Ching Ling Lim, Caymania Lay Teng Low, Soo Boon Hia (all NTUC Health Silver Circle, Senior Care Centre), Associate Professor Leng Leng Thang (NUS Japanese Studies), and Ai Ling Thian (My First Skool) examined how intergenerational partnerships between children and seniors could empower seniors and improve their wellbeing.

In this study, children were partnered with seniors with and without dementia. Activities during the study’s first phase were planned around cultural celebrations and traditions. The activities were aimed at facilitating intergenerational transfer of culture and knowledge as these traditions are fading among Singapore’s younger generation.

Six months into the study, the researchers found that facilitation and the nature of activities were ‘fundamental’ in creating meaningful engagement. Whereas facilitators struggled to understand the developmental needs of seniors, activities were also lacking in variation or found to be unsuitable for participants. Other obstacles included excessive translation as language was a barrier between Mandarin-speaking seniors and English-speaking children.

These issues were addressed in Phase 2 of the study. Facilitators were better educated and tasked to be a bridge between children and seniors. Their observations were also crucial when programmes had to be modified. Activities popular with the elderly—such as Bingo—were modified into an educational version. This enabled seniors to learn English terms without having their popular game be closely associated with gambling.

By the end of the study, seniors’ wellbeing was determined to be constant. Seniors also developed a stronger sense of purpose by sharing their experiences and understanding with the children. The researchers propose that such intergenerational interactions create a more caring and empathetic society towards the elderly. Similar intergenerational programmes could be further developed into a structured programme for other senior care centres to adopt.

Read the article here.