Intergenerational Holiday Gift Ideas

by Sheri Steinig

All of us at Generations United wish you, and those you love, a happy intergenerational holiday season. This is a great time of year to give the gift that shows the power unleashed when generations connect.

Here are some ideas.

Books:

Gus & Me: The Story of My Granddad and My First Guitar By Keith Richards (Author), Theodora Richards (Illustrator)

Long before there was a band, there was a boy: a young Keith Richards, who was introduced to the joy of music through his beloved granddad, Theodore Augustus Dupree, affectionately known as "Gus," who was in a jazz big band and is the namesake of Keith's daughter, Theodora Dupree Richards. GUS & ME offers a rare and intimate look into the childhood of the legendary Keith Richards through this poignant and inspiring story that is lovingly illustrated with Theodora Richards's exquisite pen-and-ink collages. This unique autobiographical picture book honors the special bond between a grandfather and grandson and celebrates the artistic talents of the Richards family through the generations. Learn more 

Orphan Train
By Christina Baker Kline

Christina Baker Kline's ORPHAN TRAIN follows Vivian Daly, who, as a child, was one of the abandoned children traveling on what were called "orphan trains" that ran regularly from East Coast cities to Midwest farmlands. Vivian, a New York City-native sent to an uncertain future a world away, later returns east and lives a quiet life on the coast of Maine. Through a volunteer program, the older widow enlists the help of 17-year-old Molly Ayer, who knows her community-service position is the only thing keeping her out of juvenile hall. As Molly helps Vivian sort through her keepsakes, she learns that she and Vivian have a shared experience of being outsiders raised by strangers, and that they both have unanswered questions about their past. http://christinabakerkline.com/novels/orphan-train/

Films:

Keep On Keepin' On

KEEP ON KEEPIN’ ON depicts the remarkable story of 93-year-old jazz legend Clark Terry. A living monument to the Golden Era of Jazz, having played in both the Duke Ellington and Count Basie bands. He broke racial barriers on American television and mentored the likes of Miles Davis and Quincy Jones, but his most unlikely friendship is with Justin Kauflin, a 23-year old blind piano prodigy. Justin, fighting a debilitating case of stage fright, is invited to compete in a prestigious competition, while Clark’s health takes a serious turn. The two face the toughest challenges of their lives. The result is an intimate portrait of two remarkable men–a student striving against all odds and a teacher who continues to inspire through the power of music. Select showings in theatres and available for pre-order. DVD release January 13, 2015. Learn more

UP (Not a new release, but one worth watching with family and friends of all ages)

In UP, from Disney/Pixar, retired balloon salesman Carl Fredricksen, is ready for his last chance at high-flying excitement. Tying thousands of balloons to his house, Carl sets off to the lost world of his childhood dreams. Unbeknownst to Carl, an overeager 8-year-old Wilderness Explorer Russell is on Carl's front porch! The world's most unlikely duo meet fantastic friends like Dug, a dog with a special collar that allows him to speak, and Kevin, a rare 13-foot tall flightless bird. Stuck together in the wilds of the jungle, Carl realizes that sometimes life's biggest adventures aren't the ones you set out looking for.

Music:

Cheek to Cheek – Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga

In September, Tony Bennett, 88, and Lady Gaga, 28, put out their album, CHEEK TO CHEEK. While the album stemmed from Bennett and Gaga's desire to introduce jazz standards to a younger audience, it is a testament to the creativity unleashed when different generations work together. “I have been singing the Great American Songbook my entire career and all along forging a bridge between pop and jazz music,” said Bennett. “Creating this album with Lady Gaga has been a beautiful experience as she is a fantastic singer and I am hoping that all her fans will embrace this music and swing along with it.” The experience of making the album and working with Bennett was transformative for Gaga. As she recounted in an interview, “So when I say ‘at this point in my career’, he’s changed my life for me because he’s gonna make my art better from this moment on. Because he said: ‘Hey, you’re so much better than you’re even letting yourself be.’ ” Learn more

Bridges – Mary Sarah

On her album BRIDGES, released in July of this year, 18-year-old singer and songwriter Mary Sarah duets with some of country music’s biggest names. The album features Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Vince Gill, the Oak Ridge Boys, the late Ray Price and others singing with Mary Sarah on their most iconic hits. Mary Sarah wants to connect those who love traditional country with those who follow today’s more polished sound. “I see Bridges as something that spans now and then,” she says, “and brings that music back over to this generation.” http://marysarah.com

TV:

Click image to view enlarged version.

Parenthood on NBC

Now in its final season, PARENTHOOD is a favorite among Generations United’s network for its depiction of a multigenerational family. Past seasons are available for purchase on DVD or to watch on Netflix.

The Goldbergs on ABC

In its second season, THE GOLDBERGS is a comedy set in the 1980s and is loosely based on the showrunner's own childhood. The series focuses on the family of five and prominently features a grandfather who is frequently around to provide advice or help out his grandchildren. The first season is now available on DVD.

Games:

Last Letter

Thinkfun’s fresh take on the simple last letter game will inspire creativity, laughter and quick thinking. Race to come up with and blurt out a word from one of the picture cards in your hand, remembering that your word must begin with the last letter of the word previously called. Unique illustrations will spark imagination and allow for endless opportunities for new words. Recommended for ages 8 and up. http://www.thinkfun.com/lastletter

Big Fish Games

Big Fish Games produces games for computers and mobile devices, offering a wide assortment of games for people of all ages. There are many games here that would interest both younger and older people. http://www.bigfishgames.com

Windsor Place Age to Age Learning

EDITOR’S NOTE: Each week, we feature intergenerational program ideas that were tried and successful. This series is a tool to highlight various age-optimized programs and practices. The program descriptions are provided by representatives of the programs. Inclusion in this series does not imply Generations United’s endorsement or recommendation, but rather encourages ideas to inspire other programs.

In the latest of series, we feature Windsor Place Age to Age Learning, based in Iola, Kansas.

(Check our archives for parts 1-25.)

Windsor Place is a skilled nursing center in Iola. They are unique in that they have not only older people there, but they also have an "age to age" program with the Iola school system, which results in a pre-school classroom in the building. The kids and the elders have so much fun together!

In addtion, they offer a "Home Again" wing for short term Medicare people needing therapy and are planning to go back to their home in the community.  In addition,   they have a wellness center for the community to come in and use.

The Iola school district chose to place their preschool at Windsor Place in 2010, and after one full year, the whole community is chalking it up as a success!  This is a legacy that began with an idea and grew to fruition in Iola. The facility is excited to be able to host a classroom and continue the fight against loneliness, helplessness and boredom  for the elderly, as well as provide an unique education to each of the children.

This "age to age" classroom is organized where children are partnered at various points throughout the day with the elders (also called "grandmas" or "grandpas") to read, exercise and learn valuable lessons that only the elders can provide.

The grandmas and grandpas are always excited about meeting the children as they come in the first thing in the morning. The staff is excited to see the residents much more intereseted in getting up and getting their day started all because "It's a school day!"

The grandmas and grandpas also have the luxury throughout the day of getting to watch the preschoolers at work in the classroom by way of a large glass viewing window.

These pictures were taken the first day of school and meeting the new grandmas/grandpas was a whole new experience for the preschoolers. By the end of the year, last year's preschoolers didn't want to leave, and the grandmas and grandpas were equally sad.  This

is just the second "age to age" classroom in Kansas and visitors are welcome to come into Windsor Place and peer through the large classroom window, or maybe, you will be there at the right time to see the grandmas and grandpas actually engaging with the preschoolers.

There are two groups of preschoolers:

You can visit at these times as the children have eaten and are ready to learn.

Ooen Monday-Friday 8:30a.m-11:15a.m.;12:30p.m.-2:45p.m.

Either way, it is an exploration you will get a kick out of! Call ahead or consult the front desk for a visit.

Got something cool you tried that was successful? Why not tweet your cool intergenerational ideas to #cooligideas? You can also post them to ourIntergenerational Connections Facebook Group or just text us through the FacebookMessenger app (friend me to join our Cool Intergenerational Ideas group discussion). We want to highlight innovative age-optimized programs and practices through our blog, social media and weekly e-newsletter! Share the inspiration.

Grand Canyon National Park With Your Grandchild: Colorado River Rafting and a Historic Train Ride

EDITOR’S NOTE: Each week, we feature intergenerational program ideas that were tried and successful. This series is a tool to highlight various age-optimized programs and practices. The program descriptions are provided by representatives of the programs. Inclusion in this series does not imply Generations United’s endorsement or recommendation, but rather encourages ideas to inspire other programs.

In the latest of series, we feature the Grand Canyon National Park With Your Grandchild: Colorado River Rafting and a Historic Train Ride.

(Check our archives for parts 1-24.)

Colorado River Rafting and a Historic Train Ride is among the 5,500 intergenerational educational tours Road Scholar offers in all 50 states and 150 countries.

Alongside local and renowned experts, grandparents and grandchildren experience in-depth and behind-the-scenes learning opportunities, from cultural tours and study cruises to walking, biking and more.

At the Grand Canyon National Park adventure, all ages raft the Colorado River beneath towering 800-foot sandstone cliffs, free fall to the “Giant Swing” and enjoy a two-hour train ride to the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park.

Got something cool you tried that was successful? Why not tweet your cool intergenerational ideas to #cooligideas? You can also post them to ourIntergenerational Connections Facebook Group or just text us through the FacebookMessenger app (friend me to join our Cool Intergenerational Ideas group discussion). We want to highlight innovative age-optimized programs and practices through our blog, social media and weekly e-newsletter! Share the inspiration.

K-9 Healers Intergenerational Pet Therapy Project

EDITOR’S NOTE: Each week, we feature intergenerational program ideas that were tried and successful. This series is a tool to highlight various age-optimized programs and practices. The program descriptions are provided by representatives of the programs. Inclusion in this series does not imply Generations United’s endorsement or recommendation, but rather encourages ideas to inspire other programs.

In part 24 of our series, we feature the K-9 Healers Intergenerational Pet Therapy Project, which is based in Branchport, NY.

(Check our archives for parts 1-23.)

Since 1995 the K-9 Healers Intergenerational Pet Therapy Project or “K-9 Kids” has been a project that brings together youth, residents of the Homestead Long Term Care Facility, and registered Pet Therapy dogs.

Gail Furst founded this program in 1995 with her registered Pet Therapy Boxer, “Rosie”, and one child visiting the Homestead room to room.

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 youth come to the after-school program every Wednesday during the school year. They arrive at the Homestead, join the three facilitators and gather in a common room to talk about their day.

Once everyone has had a chance to relax they go and join the residents in their activity room to participate in an intergenerational craft project. 

During the program the youth share who gets to take care of the dogs, as well as helping some of the residents cut paper, glue, and finish their art project. Throughout the program the youth are showered with praise by the facilitators as well as the residents.

The K-9 Kids goals include enhancing each participant’s use of personal power through learning how to control a dog in a nursing home; providing human and canine companionship to nursing home Residents; promoting each participant’s ability to use self-control; increasing each participant’s self esteem, empathy, patience, and positive sense of self-worth; teaching the participant’s how to praise and providing them with opportunities to receive praise from facilitators, residents, and each other.

The program also teaches the children reverence for life.

K-9 Kids is a program funded by Yates County Community Services, which distributes funds to the Rushville Health Center, where Ms. Furst was the Outreach Department Director for over 15 years.

To date the K-9 Kids has serviced over 1000 youth living in Yates County.

The K-9 Kids Project has been nationally recognized twice. The first was when it was listed by the Humane Society of the United States directory of Animal-Related Programs for Violence Prevention and Intervention (www.hsus.org).

The second recognition was by America’s Promise in 2000. America’s Promise is a campaign founded by General Colin Powell (www.americaspromise.org).

K-9 Kids was highlighted as a program that brings youth into Finger Lakes Health, with which the Homestead is affiliated.

Got something cool you tried that was successful? Why not tweet your cool intergenerational ideas to #cooligideas? You can also post them to ourIntergenerational Connections Facebook Group or just text us through the FacebookMessenger app (friend me to join our Cool Intergenerational Ideas group discussion). We want to highlight innovative age-optimized programs and practices through our blog, social media and weekly e-newsletter! Share the inspiration.

Holidays are not always merry and bright

by Jaia Peterson Lent

as published in GRAND Magazine

Conner stood attentively at the screen door, his bright brown eyes fixed on the street in front of his grandmother's house, his hands clutching a clay figurine of a turkey he had made for his mom. She had promised to come for Thanksgiving dinner.

“One slice of turkey, three peas, two helpings of mashed potatoes, five books, and four rounds of Crazy Eights later, Connor was still waiting. “It’s bedtime,” his grandmother said, “How about we change into our pj’s and watch your favorite show?”

“No,” Connor shouted, “I want to watch it with Mommy!” Within minutes, his hurt feelings escalated to full-blown tantrum.

Three hours later, Conner was finally asleep, his head resting on his Grandpa's lap. His grandmother gently slid the clay turkey figurine out of Conner's hand, and covered him and his sleeping Grandpa with a blanket. Only then could she breathe a little easier.

Meeting the challenges that come with holidays

This time of year, more than 2.7 million grandparents raising grandchildren find themselves navigating a unique set of holiday stressors. Not only do they have to prepare their grandchildren for the possibility that the children’s parents won’t show up—they have to steel themselves to weather the fallout, all while simultaneously juggling their own loss, grief, anger, and confusion related to the reasons their adult child is not able to care for their grandchild.

Despite the gaiety one hopes to experience during the holidays, grandchildren not living with their parents often feel a mixture of joy, anxiety, excitement, and sadness. No matter their age, grandchildren may not know how to deal with the emotional swings that come with disappointment, or even with pleasant surprises. What you need is a GRANDfamily strategy!

Manage the children’s expectations: If you know that their parents will not be participating in any way during the holiday celebrations, gently tell your grandchildren ahead of time. That way, if the parents show up or send a present, it’s far easier to share the good news. If the parents don’t show, it may soften the blow and help them avoid feeling forgotten or ignored.

Support the child’s desire to give: Children love their parents, even when they have been hurt by them. It’s important to let them express how they feel. During holidays, this may come through giving. Even if you fear it won’t be reciprocated, it’s important to help them find joy in giving.

Keep it simple: You can’t be everything to everyone. Figure out the few key people that your grandchildren need to see over the holidays and focus on making those gatherings the best they can be.

Create your own traditions: Children need routine, tradition, and rituals. When they had to leave mom and/or dad's home, the rituals they had were interrupted. Holidays are a terrific time to introduce some new fun traditions that don’t revolve around parents.

Jaia Peterson Lent is the Deputy Executive Director at Generations United, a national organization dedicated to improving the lives of children, youth and older people through intergenerational collaboration, public policy and programs. Home to the National Center on Grandfamilies, Generations United is a leading voice for issues affecting families headed by grandparents or other relatives.

Tom's Take on the Ebola Outbreak

Tom Taylor with his grandson

History offers a vicarious experience. It allows young people to possess the ground equally with their elders. However, without a knowledge of history to give them a context for present events, the youth are at the mercy of every social misdiagnosis handed to them.

The English author, Hilary Mantel's, words ring true today. The social misdiagnosis, or misinformation, of our time includes these myths about Ebola:

1. Ebola clinics give patients injections that kill them faster

2. Schools are using routine blood tests and vaccinations to infect children with Ebola

3. Health officials are spreading the Ebola virus.

And the list goes on. 

In his guest post, Mr. Thomas C. Taylor, retired Senior Advisor for Generations United’s Seniors4Kids initiative, pulls from his 80-plus years of wisdom to offer a historical context for present events. 

Here’s Mr. Tom Taylor:

If you've been following the news, then you know the Ebola outbreak has overtaken the headlines.

The possible state quarantines and public fear of both Ebola survivors and doctors are enough to make you think we’re living the last days – as if we didn’t live through Polio, Yellow Fever and AIDS.

The Ebola scare today is as heightened as it was for polio, once the most feared disease worldwide.

It killed President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1945. Seven years prior, the U.S. established the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, which we know today as The March of Dimes.

I remember the symbolic gesture of my classmates and I, when we marched through our school’s assembly hall and dropped a dime in a basket.

I was a teenager then, living in New Haven, CT. The crippling disease was the Ebola of our time.

The misinformation made people think the crippling disease spread through coughs and sneezes.

Three years after Roosevelt’s death, Dr. Jonas Salk, whose birthday Google recognized last week with a Doodle, developed the first vaccine delivered by injection.

And despite advice to get the shot, many people refused to do so.

The public fear of Polio lasted until 1961, when Dr. Albert Sabin developed an oral vaccine, from which my two children benefitted.

Unfortunately, there is no vaccine for HIV/AIDS, which arrived in the U.S. in the late 1960s.

The misinformation led the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to report it first as a disease between gay men.

Since then, those claims have been corrected. AIDS hit many famous people including movie star Rock Hudson, who died in 1985.

Countering misinformation today might require us revisiting creative solutions from the past.

With AIDS, a creative solution was the first World AIDS Day in 1988 – the same year tennis legend Arthur Ashe and Magic Johnson, a basketball great, announced they were HIV-positive.

Both men helped raise awareness.

Ashe’s autobiography, in which he stated catching AIDS from a blood transfusion, prompted better screening of blood banks.

Magic Johnson is an inspiration to people living with HIV by not letting the disease stop him from living a successful life.

Tom at a Seniors4Kids event.

He’s now part owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team and owner of the Magic Johnson Theater chain.

Another creative solution to misinformation used the arts to raise awareness of Yellow Fever in a fun way.

I was in first grade when I learned about the Yellow Fever epidemic through a play.

In fact, I played the part of Dr. Carlos Finlay, who, with help from Dr. Walter Reed, developed a cure in 1900.

Finlay, who became a hero when my mom was a child, did this after learning the disease was transmitted by mosquitos.

In addition to being a success, the play taught me the importance of helping people. This impacted how my professional life unfolded, working on behalf of children, youth and families.

Building Bridges

EDITOR’S NOTE: Each week, we feature intergenerational program ideas that were tried and successful. This series is a tool to highlight various age-optimized programs and practices. The program descriptions are provided by representatives of the programs. Inclusion in this series does not imply Generations United’s endorsement or recommendation, but rather encourages ideas to inspire other programs.

In part 23 of our series, we feature Building Bridges, a program of the University of Missouri Extension.

(Check our archives for parts 1-22.)

Building Bridges is a community-based intergenerational program to help bring generations together for meaningful interactions and experiences.

Education, friendship, and caring are major components. The program evaluation results showed that Building Bridges not only helped young generations practice character traits, but also have more positive perceptions of growing old.

The majority of children and youth from Building Bridges felt that they showed their caring, respect and sharing with older adults and made older adults happy and less lonely.

Through the program, both generations have a better understanding of each other and their comfort zone for conversation and sharing was enhanced.

Got something cool you tried that was successful? Why not tweet your cool intergenerational ideas to #cooligideas? You can also post them to ourIntergenerational Connections Facebook Group or just text us through the FacebookMessenger app (friend me to join our Cool Intergenerational Ideas group discussion). We want to highlight innovative age-optimized programs and practices through our blog, social media and weekly e-newsletter! Share the inspiration.

Our Folks

EDITOR’S NOTE: Each week, we feature intergenerational program ideas that were tried and successful. This series is a tool to highlight various age-optimized programs and practices. The program descriptions are provided by representatives of the programs. Inclusion in this series does not imply Generations United’s endorsement or recommendation, but rather encourages ideas to inspire other programs.

In part 22 of our series, we feature Our Work, a program of Groundwork Hudson Valley.

(Check our archives for parts 1-21.)

Launched in the fall of 2008, Our Folks aims to get youth involved in efforts to help older adults in their community age in place.

To do this, the team, comprised of students from Riverside High School, interviewed a number of older adults to find people who still live in their homes and need help maintaining them.

Groundwork staff and local professionals taught the students landscaping and home repair skills like tree-pruning, painting, weeding, planting, lawn-mowing, etc. enabling them to work with the home-owners to make needed repairs.

The second goal of this program is to bridge the generation gap by bringing people together over shared projects and shared lunches! 

The students and homeowners prepare meals together and spend time getting to know each other over lunch. Our first year with this project proved that very meaningful relationships can come out of this interaction, and that there is much to be learned on both sides.

Primary funding for this program is provided by the United Way of Westchester and Putnam and the Helen Andrus Benedict Foundation.

Additional funding is provided by the Westchester County Youth Bureau, St. Faith’s House Foundation, and the Thomas & Agnes Carvel Foundation.

Got something cool you tried that was successful? Why not tweet your cool intergenerational ideas to #cooligideas? You can also post them to our Intergenerational Connections Facebook Group or just text us through the Facebook Messenger app (friend me to join our Cool Intergenerational Ideas group discussion). We want to highlight innovative age-optimized programs and practices through our blog, social media and weekly e-newsletter! Share the inspiration.

2014 Eisner Prize Winners Part 2 - The Intergenerational Schools

For 14 years, The Intergenerational Schools (TIS) have been a transformative model of lifelong learning positively impacting costs and outcomes associated with educating children and engaging older adults, including those with dementia.

Based on its success and community interest, there are now three Intergenerational Schools operating in Cleveland, providing a free public education to over 500 young learners.

Co-founder Peter Whitehouse, Ph.D., recently announced the creation of Intergenerational Schools International (ISI) and its first project The Intergenerativity Project (TIP). (Learn more about ISI and TIP.)

The Intergenerational Schools feature an innovative kindergarten through 8th grade developmental curriculum that is proven to foster student achievement. Modeled on building relationships of reciprocal respect and learning, multi-age classrooms give every child the opportunity to serve as both teacher and learner.

Classes have a range of ages (spanning 3-4 years) and abilities, creating a dynamic and individualized learning environment.

Additionally, students learn with a lifespan perspective and benefit from daily interactions with a diverse group of adults and elders who participate fully in the school community as mentors, tutors, and co-learners.

TIS actively partners with Judson Smart Living and Case Western Reserve University not only to deliver their programs, but also to document and study them for potential future replication. Learn more about The Intergenerational Schools.

2014 Eisner Prize Winners Part 1 - Bridge Meadows

Congrats to our friends, Bridge Meadows and The Intergenerational School, on winning the 2014 Eisner Prize!

Last week, we started profiling each organization. Here's Bridge Meadows.

A unique multi-generational community (located in the Portsmouth neighborhood of North Portland, OR), Bridge Meadows is a place where adoptive parents, foster children, and low-income elders - those over 55 - find a true home built with love and the shared vision of a better tomorrow.

Children move from the instability of foster care placements to permanent homes and families. Adoptive families receive essential resources and guidance, and low-income elders find purpose as they volunteer 100 hours/quarter in service to the community.

These services are why The Eisner Foundation recognized Bridge Meadows for the "Innovation in Intergenerational Solutions" category. Learn more about Bridge Meadows. Stay tuned when we profile The Intergenerational School.

Generations of Us: An Intergenerational Storytelling Project

EDITOR’S NOTE: Each week, we’ll feature intergenerational program ideas that were tried and successful. This series is a tool to highlight various age-optimized programs and practices. The program descriptions are provided by representatives of the programs. Inclusion in this series does not imply Generations United’s endorsement or recommendation, but rather encourages ideas to inspire other programs.

In part 21 of our series, we feature Generations of Us, an intergenerational storytelling project in Chicago, IL.

(Check our archives for parts 1-20.)

Generations of Us: An Intergenerational Storytelling Project on Chicago’s South Side connected young and older adults living on Chicago’s South Side to share their personal experiences through oral history interviews.

The project aimed to use the power of storytelling to promote intergenerational reconciliation and learning between young and older adults living in communities impacted by poverty, violence, and the criminal justice system.  

The project rested on the idea that intergenerational dialogue will promote peace by creating understanding and stronger networks within the community.

Through a partnership with the South Side Help Center in Chicago's Roseland community and the Atlas Senior Center in the South Chicago neighborhood, the young and older adults participated in interactive workshops focusing on the power of storytelling to hear firsthand accounts of history, share life experiences and perspectives, combat ageism, build relationships, and promote intergenerational dialogue.

The project took place during the month of August 2014 and included 8 workshops. It began with a one-day workshop that introduced oral history and including an interactive aging simulation with the young people at the South Side Help Center.

The remaining workshops took place at the Atlas Senior Center, which allowed the young adults to visit the Senior Center each day.

The curriculum followed the 6-step process of Oral History: plan, prepare, exchange, preserve, present, and reflect.

To ensure that the participants would be able to interact as much as possible, workshops incorporated intergenerational activities, icebreakers, games, practice interviews, and lessons on the process of oral history each day.

On average, 25 participants attended each day, and we typically had a ratio of one older adult to two young adults. In total,  approximately 50 participants attended and recorded 10 full-length oral history interviews.

The last day of the workshop was a presentation and celebration that was open to the public, which included playing short selections from the interviews, participants sharing their personal reflections, playing BINGO, and eating delicious food!

Each participant received a t-shirt and a CD with their audio recording and approximately 50 people were in attendance for the celebration! Due to the success of this project, future collaborations between the South Side Help Center and the Atlas Senior Center are in the process of being discussed.

For more information about this project, please take a look at the Generations of Us blog and/or contact Kelli Bosak directly at kbosak@uchicago.edu.

Kelli Bosak is a graduate student at the University of Chicago’s School of Social Service Administration.  

This project was made possibly by a grant from the Kathryn W. Davis Projects for Peace through the International House of Chicago.

Got something cool you tried that was successful? Why not tweet your cool intergenerational ideas to #cooligideas? You can also post them to our Intergenerational Connections Facebook Group or just text us through the Facebook Messenger app (friend me to join our Cool Intergenerational Ideas group discussion). We want to highlight innovative age-optimized programs and practices through our blog, social media and weekly e-newsletter! Share the inspiration.

Multigenerational Housing in an Expensive Locale Part 2 - Solutions

This post appears courtesy of Brandon Baunach, an architect with 17 years of experience.

In my previous post, I shared the challenges of finding affordable multigenerational (multigen) housing when my wife and I decided to buy a house with my mother. (You can read about it here.)

Over the next several posts, I’ll explore solutions for multigen housing in dense urban environments – like New York and San Francisco – concerning unit and project design, project finance, and project planning issues. 

I’ll start by exploring broad design considerations – a family’s privacy, willingness to share and responsibility – that help guide successful projects when building multigen housing.

Privacy

Apartments in dense urban settings are generally smaller than those in suburban communities. Because of this, creating higher levels of privacy both inside and outside of a unit become challenging.

Here are some questions to understand about the end user: what level of privacy is preferred? What level is acceptable? and What level is unacceptable?

For instance, through local market research, one may find that users of different generations feel comfortable around their family in public areas such as a living room, but require absolute isolation and separation in their use of a bathroom or a kitchen. Other groups may like to share kitchens and not living rooms.

Privacy between a multigen household and other households should also be understood.

Do families prefer to know their neighbors? At what degree do they interact? What level of interaction is acceptable to the different generations?

End users, for example, may find that, although they have deep integration within their own family, they may want to stay private outside of the household.

These issues would certainly inform how public space is designed, if the property is a cooperative or a condominium, how units get individual private spaces or only public spaces or both, and how certain domestic activities are encouraged to be more public such as shared laundry or cooking facilities.

Willingness to Share

Willingness to share is related to, but distinctly different from, privacy. On the surface, a member of a household may not want to share a bathroom. Is this because they are deeply embarrassed to potentially be seen in a compromising position? Or is it because they see their space as the space they, and no one else, owns?

What’s interesting is, once a household member feels like they have a significant sense of ownership, they may be willing to share more than they originally thought. In effect, what a designer might have originally suspected as a need for privacy was actually a need for ownership.

A concrete design example may be a kitchen.

Let’s say a grandparent has to have their own kitchen that is separate from their child’s family’s kitchen.

Why? Is it that the grandparent wants to keep food separate? They don’t like certain smells? They don’t like to be crowded when they cook? Or they cook at odd hours?

What designers may find when digging deeper is that one kitchen will work for two adult generations if an additional refrigerator is added or that the kitchen has a bit more counter space to allow for separation.

Responsibility

Understanding the baseline of family responsibility will be critical in designing a harmonious multigenerational household.

Ultimately, for legal reasons, responsibility of mortgages, rents, and bills, and a household’s relationships with their neighbors has to be settled with one or all parties within a household.

Because of this, multigen developments should create further contractual obligations that provide a clear path for financial and social responsibilities.

In terms of design of a household unit, it’s best to assume that people would prefer to be responsible for as little as possible and will begrudgingly accept responsibility with resentment in return. 

Although this is quite cynical, this allows multigen housing designers the opportunity to provide interesting amenity options that would benefit a household of multiple adult generations.

For instance, imagine a cleaning service that provides periodic cleaning only in shared spaces such as kitchens and laundries. So bedrooms, baths, and living spaces are to the user's discretion, but common spaces always remain clean. Because of the scale and specificity of spaces cleaned, the cost could be quite reasonable.

As you can see, there are many variations and considerations for how you might design a multigenerational household. In my next post, I’ll continue with solutions for multigen housing in dense urban environments, exploring factors like life stages, race and culture, and economic status. 

The design aspects I discussed mostly help with the social stability of a multigenerational household. 

And although economic necessity can dictate the choice of adult generations living together, it does not necessarily have to dictate their sense of individuality and purpose given thoughtful design.

Brandon Baunach is an architect at BAR Architects in San Francisco, CA. He lives in Berkeley, CA, with his wife, mother, and two sons.

The Significance of an Intergenerational Conference Convening in Hawai'i

There are two reasons we’re excited about next year’s international conference. First, will it be the first time we convened a conference outside of D.C. Secondly, it's in Honolulu, Hawai'i!

Our guest blogger, ASN Consulting Services' Audrey Suga-Nakagawa, explains the significance of an intergenerational conference convening in Hawai'i.

Hawai'i is one of the most racially diverse places in the world.  

It has become home to many different ethnic groups over the last 200 years, as each ethnic group has added elements of its own culture to local life. 

Hawai'i's variety of cultures can be traced back to the old “plantation days” in the Islands, when various ethnic groups from all over migrated to Hawai'i to earn a living and support their growing families. 

Today, contemporary culture in Hawai'i is a mix of the different cultures and ethnic groups that make up its unique population.

The State also enjoys one of the longest life expectancy in the nation and the world.  The average 65-year-old woman in Hawai'i today has a life expectancy of 88 years while men can expect to live past 84 years of age.   

Hawai'i’s respect and reverence for its kupuna (Hawaiian for elder, grandparent or older person) deeply rooted in the local culture.  

A kupuna is an honored elder who has acquired enough life experience to become a family and community leader. 

In ancient times, they were teachers and caretakers of grandchildren and that bond was especially strong. Even today, the kupuna is expected to speak out and help make decisions on important issues for both the family and the community. 

Many are actively engaged as volunteers in our schools, hospitals, community service organizations, churches, ethnic and cultural clubs and continue to play a vital role in their multigenerational households. 

Our kupuna show how rich a resource they are and why they should be tapped to contribute to the betterment of Hawai'i, for they truly represent one of Hawai'i's fastest growing natural resources.

The City and County of Honolulu is currently engaged in becoming an internationally recognized Age Friendly City, a prestigious designation by the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Network of Age Friendly Cities and Communities.

Learn more about our upcoming conference, Intergenerational Action on a Global Scale.