title: Multiple impacts of an intergenerational program in Japan: Evidence from the Research on Productivity through Intergenerational Sympathy Project.
abstract: Compelling evidence supporting the benefits of social engagement in older adults has been increasingly discussed. However, knowledge regarding an intergenerational program is limited. Herein, we provide a targeted review of intergenerational programs by focusing on our novel interventional program, Research on Productivity through Intergenerational Sympathy. The Research on Productivity through Intergenerational Sympathy program is an intergenerational picture-book reading program launched in 2004. Participants were involved a 3-month intensive weekly training seminar comprising classes about book selection, reading techniques and basic knowledge of children's school life. Subsequently, they participated in group activities that involved playing a hand game, and reading picture books to children at kindergartens, elementary schools and public childcare centers, once every 1-2 weeks. The Research on Productivity through Intergenerational Sympathy program has shown improvement of physical and psychological functioning of older adults and healthy upbringing of children. Similarly, Experience Corps - designed to train and place volunteers in participating elementary schools for an academic year during which time they assist teachers - also showed positive effects for older adults' health status and the psychological/academic success of young children in the USA. Health promotion efforts for older adults must support social policy for the creation of meaningful service programs for older adults on a large social scale. As such, an intergenerational program based on the concept of social capital, defined as "features of social organization, such as trust, norms and networks, that can improve the efficacy of society by facilitating coordinated actions," is an effective and sustainable program for health promotion among older adults.
authors.affiliation: Research Team for Social Participation and Community Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yasunaga
authors.affiliation: Research Team for Social Participation and Community Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoh
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Murayama
authors.affiliation: Research Team for Social Participation and Community Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomoya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.affiliation: Research Team for Social Participation and Community Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiromi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ohba
authors.affiliation: Research Team for Social Participation and Community Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.affiliation: Research Team for Social Participation and Community Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Kumiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nonaka
authors.affiliation: Research Team for Social Participation and Community Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Masataka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kuraoka
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, Tokorozawa, Saitama.|Research Fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryota
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sakurai
authors.affiliation: Research Team for Social Participation and Community Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Mariko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nishi
authors.affiliation: Research Team for Prevention and Intervention of Dementia and Depression, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Naoko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sakuma
authors.affiliation: Research Team for Social Participation and Community Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Erika
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.affiliation: Research Team for Social Participation and Community Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Shoji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shinkai
authors.affiliation: Research Team for Social Participation and Community Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fujiwara
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D035843:Biomedical Research; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000639:trends*; D012944:Social Support; D014838:Volunteers
keywords: community elderly; generation gap; interaction; intergenerational relations; intervention study