Posters

Building Bridges Across Generations: The Intergenerational Classroom

Jessica Hsieh, Raza Mirz, Claudia Osmond

Intergenerational approaches can help to combat ageism and improve the lives of older adults, now and in the future.

Taking an intergenerational approach to contextualizing the experiences of older adults within post-secondary classroom settings is a novel approach towards building interest in the field of aging.

The University of Toronto (UofT) partnered with Christie Gardens, a retirement community and long-term care home, to launch an innovative experiential learning initiative: The Intergenerational Classroom. Half the learners were UofT undergraduate students (n=24); the other half were older adults residing at Christie Gardens (n=25). Through interactive seminar style discussions, collaborative projects and mentorship, the course, which was held at Christie Gardens, provided a semester-long exploration of aging. To evaluate the program, pre-/post-surveys were administered to all learners, and following the semester, students (n=6) and older adults (n=6) participated in focus group discussions.

Criteria for program success were identified across domains, including meaningful friendships and bonds created, increased awareness of aging issues, reduced ageist attitudes, and greater sense of community and civic engagement. Evaluation results revealed that 92% had an excellent learning experience, 95% found the course intellectually stimulating, and that 100% would recommend the course to others.

This session will draw upon this experiential initiative to discuss how intergenerational approaches can help to create a brighter and more inclusive future for all generations, ensuring that individuals can grow up and grow older with dignity, rights, and opportunity.

Weaving Generations

Marshay McCain

Philadelphia's history has been shaped by the trading of textiles and fabrics. This influence has transformed Queen Village into an artistic neighborhood. Additionally, Philadelphia is known for implementing community engagement projects for all age groups, such as block parties. This poster presents a building designed to stimulate intergenerational connections in this particular socio-historical environment. Elements are included for inhabitants to engage interiorly with the multitude of public programs, and with exterior features that provide modern depictions of the history of textiles. This is one architecture student's rendition of a building that reflects intergenerational living values and opportunities aligned with local social and historical context.

Reframing Aging through an Intergenerational Lens

Gina Maguire

The Reframing Aging through an Intergenerational Lens presentation will share an intergenerational project which pairs college students with community elders. The students in the Therapeutic Arts with Older Adults course learn about the power of the arts to create wellness, battle social isolation, and increase reminiscence in older adults. Using the Lives Well Lived documentary and Sky Bergman's framework (loosely), the pairs spend five visits during the semester creating a bond through therapeutic arts and, (in Spring 2024) the theme of food. The project has been facilitated twice with great success. It culminates in a group breakfast and an anthology. At the conclusion of the project, changes are evident in the students' perception of aging and some close friendships have developed. This process can be replicated by participants using the documentary (with purchased rights), Sky Bergman's framework, and a bit of creativity.

Most/Last Favorite Spaces on a University Campus: Examining Leverage Points and (Dis)similarity Across Generations

Elke Altenburger, Luke Russell, Chang Su-Russell

Faculty, staff, and s tudents have increasingly diversified in recent decades (Leicht & Fennell, 2008) and some universities increasingly seek to become more "age-friendly" and cater to stakeholders across the lifespan (Gautam et al., 2023). Understanding the distinct and shared spaces individuals of various ages favor (or dislike) can help inform the development of effective intergenerational environments or "contact zones."

This poster will describe the methodology, findings, and conclusions from an investigation undertaken to examine similarity and differences in favorite and least favorite spaces, as well as individuals' sense of belonging across age cohorts on a university campus.

The findings from this work are being used to inform future efforts to develop an inclusive intergenerational campus environment.

Community Connect - Fostering Community Interaction in Modern Apartments

Shruti Sanjay Salokhe

In today's apartment housing, it is difficult to find people interacting with each other. The project to be described in this Poster session aims to enhance community interaction in modern apartment housing by creating inclusive, interactive spaces. These spaces range from small pockets shared between units to medium-sized areas for gatherings and events. Connected by specially designed corridors, these spaces offer opportunities for socializing, meetings, and leisure activities. By providing a variety of interactive spaces, residents can choose the level of community engagement they desire. These kinds of spaces encourage individual and community in-person interactions throughout the site.

Intergenerational Affordable Housing

Fatoumata Thiero

Intergenerational housing has gained prominence in recent years as a way of fostering connections among different age groups within communities. This innovative approach enables communities to benefit from both the wisdom of older generations and the energy and fresh perspectives of younger ones.

By bringing together older adults, young professionals, and families with children under one roof, intergenerational housing offers the opportunity for mutual learning, collaboration, and social engagement.

This poster provides a design for affordable intergenerational housing which includes a community kitchen, an intergenerational day center which allows elderly residents and children to participate in daily indoor activities, and a plaza for gatherings and interaction which welcomes individuals of all genders, races, and ages.

Intergenerational Housing in Philadelphia

Saghar Mohsenian

This session presents the innovative "Intergenerational Housing in Philadelphia" project, a collaboration between Perkins Eastman Architects and Penn State Hamer Center for Community Design. The initiative aims to bridge generational gaps and foster community integration by developing a living space that supports interaction among different age groups. Through this presentation, attendees will gain insights into the design principles, community engagement strategies, and architectural innovations that facilitate intergenerational interactions within a residential setting.

Attendees will learn practical tools for:

• Designing spaces that encourage daily interactions across generations.
• Implementing community programs that engage residents of all ages.
• Evaluating the impact of intergenerational living on community health and social cohesion.

The session will also cover how these methodologies can be replicated in other communities seeking to enhance intergenerational relationships. A brief overview of the ongoing program at a local retirement community will be provided, demonstrating the real world application of these concepts. This case study highlights the successes and challenges of creating an intergenerational center, offering a blueprint that can be adapted to other settings.

By the end of this presentation, participants will be equipped with knowledge and strategies to promote intergenerational living, potentially transforming how communities are designed to support aging populations while integrating youthful dynamism.

Liva - Multigenerational Housing in Baltimore, MD

Garrett Walters

Creating spaces in cities that are accessible to all is becoming increasingly challenging. The purpose of Liva is to create a space that the general public of Queens Village has access to. By creating spaces that bring different generations, cultures, and ethnicities together in harmony we foster a melting pot in one of the most diverse cities in America.

Attendees will learn how architecture can influence a community, especially a community comprised of people of different ages, ethnicities, and cultures. They will see that architectural design can impact how users intermingle with one another as well as how architecture can create a nurturing environment that fosters beautiful connections.

Aligning the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with Intergenerational Practice

Katie Chriest and Ilona Ballreich

This poster presentation will highlight connections between the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and intergenerational practice. The SDGs, which serve as the overarching framework for Penn State Sustainability's efforts, broaden the scope of "sustainability" beyond a limited approach focused on environmental interventions like recycling, saving water, or reducing fossil fuel consumption. Instead, "sustainability" becomes an umbrella under which all aspects of positive societal development belong. SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 4 (Quality Education), and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) exemplify this breadth, as each goal has identified targets that specifically denote beneficial solutions over the entire span of a human life. This expanded understanding also finds great synergy with intergenerational practice, especially as both frameworks are focused on creating healthier, more engaged, more vital communities and ecosystems through interrelatedness, collaboration and adaptation. The poster will showcase a few key links as examples, delineating ways in which the SDGs map onto intergenerational practice; and accompanying discussion will explore ways in which this complementary understanding can benefit future work. (The poster was created by Ilona Ballreich, Penn State Sustainability's director of the Sustainable Communities Collaborative. It has been updated by Ballreich and Katie Chriest, Penn State Sustainability's outreach and communications for Commonwealth Campuses.)