Connecting Generations

Janice Blanchard, MSPH

President Denver,

CO

The Grandmother Hypothesis

“Somehow we have to get older people back close to growing children if we are to restore a sense of community, a knowledge of the past and a sense of the future.”

-Margaret Mead

Aging in Place

Nursing Home

Loneliness

Helplessness

Boredom

Success Failure

Possibilities in Between…

??? ??

Aging in Place Nursing Home

• Interdependent• Mutual support• Engaged/needed• Inclusive• Intergeneration

al

• Affordable• Sustainable/Green• Health/Wellness• Meaning/Purpose• Universally Designed

Aging in Place Nursing Home

…. Aging in Community

Source: Thomas, Blanchard & Stambolian, 2006.

Aging in Community

• INCLUSIVE – welcoming to all, especially elders; fostering relationships between people of all ages, ethnicities and abilities

• SUSTAINABLE – committed to a lifestyle that is sustainable ecologically, economically, and socially

• WELLNESS-ORIENTED – encouraging wellness of the mind, body and spirit

• ACCESSIBLE – providing easy access to the home and community (e.g. universal design features)

• INTERDEPENDENT – fostering reciprocity & mutual support between family, friends, neighbors and the community

• ENGAGED – promoting opportunities for civic and social engagement, education, and creative expression .

Source: Thomas, Blanchard & Stambolian, 2006.

AIC “Physical Environments” • Create new range of housing/communities

– cohousing, shared housing, multigenerational, accessory dwelling units, Green Houses™, affinity-based housing (art, music, LGBT), pocket neighborhoods

• Retrofit existing housing communities –redesigning community centers, common space, pathways and streets, community gardens

• Retrofit larger community – accessible spaces & places (to exceed ADA), transportation options, mixed-use communities

Wild Sage & Silversage Cohousing Communities

Boulder, CO

Pocket Neighborhoods,Whidbey Island, WA

Shared HousingAcross America

Burbank Seniors Artist Colony Burbank, CA

Rainbow Vision Community, Santa Fe, NM

Hope MeadowsRantoul, IL

Aria West Denver,

CO

AIC “Social Software” • Facilitate activities or practices that increase interaction,

understanding, cooperation and social exchange between neighbors.

• Create opportunities to share skills, knowledge, and/or experience.

• Foster relationships and that benefit neighbors and/or the community.

• Design to build on the strengths and addresses the needs of the community

• Employ resident support first

• Promote health and wellness activities

• Promote social, cultural, educational & creative engagement

• Promote larger community service programs

• Support services and goods that offer non-monetary exchanges (e.g., time-bank economies)

• Incorporate current public property – schools, libraries, parks, community centers, etc. to expand opportunities and reach out to the larger community

Four Types of Intergenerational Social Software

1. Older Adults Serving Youth2. Youth Serving Older Adults3. Youth & Older Adults Serving Together4. Shared Site Intergenerational Programs

Older Adults Serving Youth:

Heather Regan Memorial Community Garden at Bradley

International School Denver, CO

Older Adults Serving Youth:Community Garden Bradley

International School Learning Landscape for Classroom Use

Older Adults Serving Youth:Community Garden Bradley

International School After School Garden Club

Older Adults Serving Youth:Community Garden Bradley

International School Cooking Classes & Youth Farmers Market

Youth Serving Older Adults:The Circle of Care Project

Boulder, CO

Youth Serving Older Adults:The Circle of Care Project

Access to the Arts for Elders

Youth Serving Older Adults:The Circle of Care Project Senior Audit Partners

Youth & Older Adults Serving Together

The Circle of Care Project Intergenerational Voices Open Mic

Youth & Older Adults Serving Together A Little Help Denver, CO

It takes a village to raise our children…

It takes a community to care for our elders.

Thank-you!Janice Blanchard, MSPH

President, Aging Better TogetherCentennial, CO

janicecsa@comcast.netwww.agingbettertogether.com