Quality, meaningful contact enables young people to get to know older adults better, to appreciate their diversity and uniqueness and to see the similarities between generations—not only the differences. When they see the contributions of their elders, young people can develop a more realistic view of aging and older adults. Research shows that, in these encounters, certain conditions facilitate positive outcomes, such as:

• Making sure that everyone has equal status in the activity, regardless of the generation they belong to;
• Cooperating to achieve a common goal; and
• Having a structure or encouraging more personal conversation.

For younger children, fun activities can reduce anxiety. Sufficient contact with older adults is also necessary to positively counter ageism among youths and students in health and social services. Studies show that stereotypes and prejudices become more entrenched as people age—which justifies the importance of intervening as early as possible. Finally, interacting with older adults who have a variety of health conditions promotes self-evaluation of stereotypes and biases, leading youths to become more aware of the range of aging situations.

Example of an initiative

A study[1] conducted with 18 youths aged 9-14 and 13 older adults aged 65-80 showed a significant decrease in stereotypes, prejudices and discrimination after an intergenerational project involving photography, letter exchanges, and an exhibition of the group’s photos. The project challenged various stereotypes and prejudices toward older adults, and increased awareness of the similarities between generations. At the end of the project, the young people perceived older adults more as individuals.

Study reference : 

[1] Alcock, C. L., Camic, P. M., Barker, C., Haridi, C., & Raven, R. (2011). Intergenerational practice in the community: A focused ethnographic evaluation. Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology, 21(5), 419–432. https://doi.org/10.1002/casp.1084