Health and Wellness Article - April 2008Changing lives-affecting communities
“The following principles have been put forward regarding the civic engagement movement in the second half of life: opportunities should reflect choice, not coercion; meaningful engagement, not exploitation; opportunity, not obligation; and the intergenerational benefit.”
There is general consensus from researchers that older adults who consistently participate in activities with youth have very little awareness of the major contributions they are making to the culture of communities. That one-hour-per-week commitment helping an underachieving reader; teaching a child to knit or crochet; making and baking cookies, or tutoring the struggling math student may seem like a small contribution in light of the many hours spent on other endeavors. But in the aggregate, the impact is enormous.
The intergenerational programs at Touchmark encourage skill building, shared interests, adventure, and friendships. An obvious benefit is the relationships established among the residents and youth. Less obvious but nonetheless beneficial outcomes of intergenerational programming have been studied around the world by the Center for Intergenerational Learning at Temple University. They include improvements in:
- Academic achievement, school behavior, and life skills of middle-school youth;
- Reading skills of young children;
- Attitudes of high school and college students toward community service and the elderly;
- Parenting skills;
- Caregiver stress;
- Well-being of older adults.
If you’re interesting in sharing your talents and changing a young person’s life while making a genuine difference in communities, contact a member of Touchmark’s Life Enrichment/Wellness staff. You’ll find opportunities both on our campuses and in the broader communities. Program offerings include one-to-one, small groups, and large sessions with children and youth of all ages.
© 2008 Touchmark