Intergenerational Activities & Benefits Of Intergenerational Relationships For Older Adults

Intergenerational relationships can be defined as the chain of relationships between aging parents, adult children and grandchildren. The family ties have changed over time with change and evolution of society. All families are different, and hence different families interact in different ways with some families being close-knit, and having frequent contact with each other and giving importance to providing care as it becomes necessary for aging loved ones, whereas other families may feel simply an obligatory sense of duty when it comes to caring for each other, but may not share the same emotional bond.

Values and perceptions of the world can be quite different when people are raised in different time periods, which can lead to difficulties in understanding one another. Fast changing lifestyle, globalization, migration of young and influence of diverse ideologies are what are causing widening of the generation gap. It is important for one generation to make a special effort to understand the other generations because of this gap in understanding between generations. In order to bond or build a relationship, parents and caregivers can create opportunities for children and older adults to spend time together. Furthermore, adults who experience close intergenerational interaction are less susceptible to depression and have better physical health as they feel more active and productive, and they also tend to be happier with their present life and more hopeful for the future.

If you are on the lookout for assisted living Anthem care for your senior loved one facing from memory or mobility issues, don’t look beyond the award-winning Anthem Senior Living in Phoenix, AZ. Professional caregivers offer round-the-clock care and support to the senior residents.

Intergenerational bonding is good for everyone, and also has many benefits ranging from improving the immune system to enhancing social intelligence. Let’s talk about mentoring now. Mentoring encourages older generations to take an active role in the lives of youths. For older adults, mentoring is not only a powerful way to make meaningful connections, but also can have a positive effect on the lives of both mentor and mentee.

At Anthem Senior Living in Phoenix, our residents are brimming with wisdom and have so much to offer not only to our senior living communities but the larger community around them. Moreover, elderly people have the ability to become a force of good in the lives of youths. According to studies, youths who meet regularly with mentors are more likely to trust their parents and have better communication with them, less likely to experience symptoms of depression, and less likely than their peers to start using illegal drugs and start drinking.

Benefits Of Intergenerational Relationships For Older Adults:

Apart from the focus being on the benefits of youth in a mentoring relationship, senior mentors reap benefits as well. According to a study, older adults who volunteer with children burn 20% more calories weekly, experience less falls, are less reliant on canes, and even performed better on memory tests in comparison to peers who did not volunteer with children.

Moreover, seniors get the opportunity to learn new skills particularly communication and technology skills, there’s an improved sense of meaning and purpose, a reduction in feelings of loneliness, and the chance to pass along life lessons and family stories.

Valuable Intergenerational Activities:

Anthem Senior Living engages residents in the local community, purposefully creating opportunities for youth mentorship. Some of the fun intergenerational activities include gardening, storytelling, cooking, reading out loud to each other, exercising together, scrapbooking, playing a board game and more.