healthykids
he struck up a surprising friendship with a life-loving woman as old as his grand- mother in the film Harold and Maude. In real life, “I had the blessing of
growing up in an intergenerational fam- ily,” says Yvette mcGlasson, director of port revenue for the PPI Group, in Pom- pano, Florida. The 17-year veteran of the cruise industry is a former Holland America cruise director whose career at sea launched her into work as a direc- tor of events for age-restricted (55-plus) gated communities such as Del Webb Lake Providence, near Nashville. “As a child, I was told I had to
Seniors, Teens and Tykes Enriching Programs Unite the Generations by Linda Sechrist
I
n intergenerational programs through- out the U.S. and in Europe, thousands of “youngers” and “elders” are building bridges that were forged naturally before family members spread out and many retirees departed for warmer climes. Based on a U.S. adult population of 41 million people 65 years and older and 74 million youths up to the age of 17, the current generation gap is already unprec- edented. By 2030, those numbers will increase to 72 million and 80 million, re- spectively, according to the international nonprofit Calouste Gulbenkian Founda- tion. Along with Generation Waking Up, Wiser Together and others, it’s working to foster better social cohesion in ways that help individuals of all ages lead richer and more rewarding lives.
Two-Way Mentoring Providing nurturing opportunities for indi- viduals to look at life through the eyes of others with dissimilar experiences that have led them to different assumptions
46 Long Island Edition
and perspectives on life can be helpful. Broadening everyone’s relationship scope to include “May-December” friendships creates the potential for the kind of life- changing possibilities experienced by a troubled young man named Harold when
listen to my elders as a sign of respect. The many memorable times spent with my grandparents, my mother’s friends and a great aunt who lived to 101, soon turned my resignation into an active de- sire to spend time with my elders. Their experiences and wisdom were fascinat- ing and I understood that their shared life lessons could prove invaluable to me,” says mcGlasson. The experience inspired her to de-
velop a multigenerational “grandparents at-large” partnership with an elementary school across the street from the Del Webb community. The school principal recognized that residents would be valu- able mentors, able to fill an emotional void for the latchkey kids of working parents, plus foster a deeper apprecia- tion for their elders among the children. “In this paradigm of mentorship,
Multigenerational Cohousing by Linda Sechrist H
aving regular positive interactions with family and friends and being
involved in several different social networks can help older adults be healthier, according to recent research published by the American Psychologi- cal Association. This fact inspired the intergenerational living model embod- ied by Cleveland’s Judson Manor retirement community. Resident students attending the
Cleveland Institutes of Art and Music teach older residents how to use comput-
www.NaturalAwakeningsLI.com
ers for email, social media and Skype, with unlimited personal access included among the amenities associated with the affordable housing. These neighbors from different generations also join in art projects and attend movies together. This innovative approach helps
solve the housing crisis faced by many cities while addressing social issues of isolation as the young people spontane- ously converse with seniors about their studies, activities and other happenings in the outside world.
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