Intergenerational Program Database

Project Generations was founded by a group of students in the fall of 2010 in partnership with the Tompkins County Office for the Aging. The group aims to reduce social stigma about seniors and recognize their value as community members with rich life experiences worth sharing. The Office for the Aging helps seniors independently maintain their quality of life as long as possible. Project Generations supports this mission by offering companionship, mental stimulation, and social support for the elderly. Once paired, the partners meet weekly throughout the year and participate in activities based on interests, where the older adult lives, and their cognitive and physical abilities. Some pairs prefer to simply chat with one another, where other pairs work on projects or take walks together.

Generating Community was created as a vehicle where old and young neighbors could talk--rather than complain--with one another. It consists of a weekly workshop that brings older persons from nursing homes, senior and community centers together with youth from pre-school to high school age.

Students work twelve or fifteen hours per week at assigned worksites. They work during or after school, depending on the plan created by their school-based Intergenerational Coordinator. Some students go to their worksites on weekends. They are given a variety of assignments at the skilled nursing facility. They may assist with group recreational activities such as Bingo, exercise class or cooking. They may provide direct services such as escorting, letter writing, reading to visually impaired residents, or giving nail salon sessions. At senior centers they may provide telephone reassurance, or make calls to seniors who are absent. Sometimes they work with the site’s administration, helping with office tasks, helping with meal service, setting up for events and decorating for holidays.

K-9 Kids brings together youth, residents of the Homestead Long Term Care Facility, and registered Pet Therapy dogs. The program gives youth the opportunity to develop safe, caring relationships with the senior citizens while at the same time taking pride in their work as dog handlers and helpers.

The Hebrew Home at Riverdale, through the generous support of The Everett Foundation, runs its highly successful Generation 2 Generation (L’Dor V’Dor) Summer Internship Program. The four week program provides students with a life changing opportunity to work directly with our older adult residents, learn about Jewish attitudes on aging, attend educational seminars on Jewish culture and history, and develop deep relationships with people of a different generation. The program allows teenagers to both give and receive in a warm and embracing environment. Participants assist various departments with their programs, and they are assigned an individual caseload of older adult residents to visit. They have the chance to make an important difference in the lives of our residents who in turn share their life experiences with the students. In addition, the participants formally study Jewish culture, aging in American and Jewish society, the structure of nursing homes, and Jewish attitudes towards aging and dying.

The Red Hook Community Farm is an intergenerational farm for youth, adults and seniors.

The Early Discoveries child care center and Day Haven adult day services are located at this site. Each day another classroom of preschoolers is invited to visit the “grandma’s and grandpa’s" for some special time together. Teachers and elder care staff work together to design activities that are both meaningful and purposeful for both children and elders.

The Early Discoveries child care center and Day Haven adult day services are located at this site. Each day another classroom of preschoolers is invited to visit the “grandma’s and grandpa’s" for some special time together. Teachers and elder care staff work together to design activities that are both meaningful and purposeful for both children and elders.

The Magic Moments program uniquely blends two groups of people who are often marginalized in American society: developmentally challenged teenagers and nursing home residents who have dementia. Through the program, which runs daily from 9:30 am to 11:45 am, the students assist Nursing and Therapeutic Recreation staff by setting up a resident lounge with games such as beanbag and/or ball toss and various art projects. The students model their interactions on those of the professional staff, working as a team, co-leading activities, encouraging residents to participate, and serving them refreshments. The Magic Moments program has pioneered a way for these young people with developmental challenges to provide direct support and encouragement to residents who have dementia, taking them from behind the scenes into the spotlight.

Our Folks is a program of Groundwork Hudson Valley in Yonkers, NY, where teens survey older homeowners, identify needed yard and household repairs, and carry out improvements. Around 20 youth and 25 older adults each year participate in this program. One goal is to bridge the generation gap by bringing people together over shared projects and shared lunches, which the students and homeowners prepare and eat together. Another part of the program is the "food team," which trains older adults to conduct cooking demonstrations of healthy foods in afterschool programs and at community events. Through ComNET, Groundwork organizes teams consisting of teens and senior citizens — and a few in-betweeners — to identify problems that need fixing. The problems are logged, along with the exact GPS location, into hand-held computers. Then, back at the office, Groundwork staff collate the problems into detailed reports that are then forwarded to the appropriate Yonkers government official and monitored to ensure that the problems are remedied.