Page 134 - Petelin, Ana, and Šarabon, Nejc. 2018. Eds. Zdravje starostnikov / Health of the Elderly. Znanstvena monografija / Proceedings. Koper: University of Primorska Press
P. 134
avje starostnikov | health of the elderly 134 Aging is a social phenomenon concerning nearly all the high-income
countries (Kinsella and He, 2008; Gualano et al., 2017). In particular,
the Eurostat estimations suggest that in 2030 over a fourth of the Eu-
ropean population will be over 65 years old. All of the developed countries
have problems related to a declining birth rate and increasing aging population
(Yasunaga et al., 2016).
Older adults are at risk of being socially isolated due to poor health, low
morale, and communication difficulties (Findlay, 2003; Morita and Kobayas-
hi, 2013). This condition affects individual health, and it appears to be associat-
ed with a higher risk of hypertension, depression, cognitive decline, and even
suicide (Fratiglioni et al., 2000; Findlay, 2003; Iliffe et al., 2007; Gualano et al.,
2017). Conversely, social involvement for elders can be extremely advantageous
(Fratiglioni et al., 2000; Findlay, 2003; Varma et al., 2015; Gualano et al., 2017).
One of the urgent challenges is providing services where older adults can main-
tain their health along with their engagement in meaningful activities. Inter-
vention programs need to focus on acquiring social capital (SC) and generally
target “groups” and not “individuals” (Yasunaga et al., 2016).
Since the beginning of the 1990s, the productive aspects of aging have
been considered as an essential aspect of the successful aging concept. Volun-
teering is considered as activity that represent productive aging (Fujiwara et
al., 2006; Yasunaga et al., 2016) and is found to have a high correlation with the
physical and psychological health of older participants (Fujiwara, 2005; Yasu-
naga et al., 2016). Keeping older people healthy and active is an emerging chal-
lenge as presence of the physical activity in life is associated with decreased risk
for numerous chronic diseases (Schroeder et al., 2017).
An intergenerational program (IGP) it is a form of human service that in-
volves on going and organized interaction between members of younger and
older age groups for the benefit of all participants (Erikson, 1950; Yasunaga et
al., 2016). Intergenerational (IG) learning is actually the oldest method of learn-
ing and is the process whereby knowledge, skills, values and norms are trans-
mitted between generations (Hoff, 2007; Fitzpatrick, 2013). The aim of IGP is
to improve interactions and communication between different ages through-
out shared experiences (Epstein and Boisvert, 2006; Gualano et al., 2017) and
as a provider of generative roles for older adults, allowing children to grow up
and be meaningful for older adults’ functional capacity (Fujiwara et al., 2003;
Sakurai et al., 2016).
IGP was proposed as a bonds developer, between two generations (New-
man, 1989; Morita and Kobayashi, 2013). As defined by the International Con-
sortium for IGP, “IGP” are “social vehicles that create purposeful and ongoing
exchanges of resources and learning among older and younger generations”
(Kaplan, 2002; Morita and Kobayashi, 2013).
countries (Kinsella and He, 2008; Gualano et al., 2017). In particular,
the Eurostat estimations suggest that in 2030 over a fourth of the Eu-
ropean population will be over 65 years old. All of the developed countries
have problems related to a declining birth rate and increasing aging population
(Yasunaga et al., 2016).
Older adults are at risk of being socially isolated due to poor health, low
morale, and communication difficulties (Findlay, 2003; Morita and Kobayas-
hi, 2013). This condition affects individual health, and it appears to be associat-
ed with a higher risk of hypertension, depression, cognitive decline, and even
suicide (Fratiglioni et al., 2000; Findlay, 2003; Iliffe et al., 2007; Gualano et al.,
2017). Conversely, social involvement for elders can be extremely advantageous
(Fratiglioni et al., 2000; Findlay, 2003; Varma et al., 2015; Gualano et al., 2017).
One of the urgent challenges is providing services where older adults can main-
tain their health along with their engagement in meaningful activities. Inter-
vention programs need to focus on acquiring social capital (SC) and generally
target “groups” and not “individuals” (Yasunaga et al., 2016).
Since the beginning of the 1990s, the productive aspects of aging have
been considered as an essential aspect of the successful aging concept. Volun-
teering is considered as activity that represent productive aging (Fujiwara et
al., 2006; Yasunaga et al., 2016) and is found to have a high correlation with the
physical and psychological health of older participants (Fujiwara, 2005; Yasu-
naga et al., 2016). Keeping older people healthy and active is an emerging chal-
lenge as presence of the physical activity in life is associated with decreased risk
for numerous chronic diseases (Schroeder et al., 2017).
An intergenerational program (IGP) it is a form of human service that in-
volves on going and organized interaction between members of younger and
older age groups for the benefit of all participants (Erikson, 1950; Yasunaga et
al., 2016). Intergenerational (IG) learning is actually the oldest method of learn-
ing and is the process whereby knowledge, skills, values and norms are trans-
mitted between generations (Hoff, 2007; Fitzpatrick, 2013). The aim of IGP is
to improve interactions and communication between different ages through-
out shared experiences (Epstein and Boisvert, 2006; Gualano et al., 2017) and
as a provider of generative roles for older adults, allowing children to grow up
and be meaningful for older adults’ functional capacity (Fujiwara et al., 2003;
Sakurai et al., 2016).
IGP was proposed as a bonds developer, between two generations (New-
man, 1989; Morita and Kobayashi, 2013). As defined by the International Con-
sortium for IGP, “IGP” are “social vehicles that create purposeful and ongoing
exchanges of resources and learning among older and younger generations”
(Kaplan, 2002; Morita and Kobayashi, 2013).
