Building community for the long-term: an intergenerational commitment.
Intergenerational visitation programs have demonstrated advantages for the young and old, but few programs last more than a year or two. Weaving long-term intergenerational programs into the fabric of both school curricula and community cultural life was the goal of a project launched in 1988 in Phoenix, Arizona. Classrooms of children visit weekly or biweekly with nearby nursing home residents, developing friendships while pursuing educational activities. Carefully planned and widespread community support through board participation, donations, and publicity has allowed the program to continue to expand, while the budget has decreased. Materials are available which facilitate program replication.
Hamilton
G
G
Samaritan Geriatrics Center, Phoenix, AZ 85006, USA. ghamilton@samaritan.edu
Brown
S
S
Alonzo
T
T
Glover
M
M
Mersereau
Y
Y
Willson
P
P
D000368:Aged / Q000523:psychology*; D001130:Arizona; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D003256:Community Participation; D006801:Humans; D016901:Intergenerational Relations; D009735:Nursing Homes; D015397:Program Evaluation; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D014789:Visitors to Patients / Q000523:psychology*