This article presents an interdisciplinary collaboration to address the needs of older adults at risk of social isolation exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. An intergenerational service-learning program developed by the Pennsylvania Department of Aging was offered to several universities across the state of Pennsylvania. The authors share their…

Life expectancy is increasing worldwide. Unfortunately, people are generally not prepared for this long life ahead and have ageist attitudes that inhibit maximizing the "longevity dividend" they have been given. Aging education can prepare people for life's later years and combat ageism. It can reimage aging as a time of continued…

The purpose of this paper was to share an intergenerational approach for learning as undergraduate students became researchers. Student-researchers selected one topic as a team that was anchored in gerontological theory and then interviewed and taught elder participants using a qualitative approach. The richness of this qualitative research…

Biases against the elderly and people with disabilities can lead to discriminatory behaviors. One way to conceptualize attitudes toward the elderly and people with disabilities is through the differentiation of explicit (conscious) and implicit (unconscious) factors. Although both explicit and implicit attitudes and biases contribute to the full…

Analysis of student journals examined the effect intergenerational service-learning had upon undergraduate students' attitudes and perceptions of older adults. Students (N = 102) engaged in 12 hours of service-learning with older adults that included writing structured reflection journals. Coding involved open, axial, and selective coding with…

This article describes the Digital Life History Project, a 10-week "lab" linked to a course on aging, in which students and community-dwelling elders work together to create a short digital story honoring the elder's life. After two interview sessions, the pair works together to produce a 3- to 5-minute digital life story narrated by the elder.…

During the 50 years in which "The Gerontologist" has been publishing, the politics of aging in the United States has undergone distinct changes. The political behavior of older individuals has remained largely the same even though different birth cohorts have succeeded each other in populating the ranks of older people. But the politics…

This review examines recent studies that have addressed outcomes of intergenerational service-learning courses in gerontology. The history of service-learning pedagogy in higher education and its place in today's colleges is also reviewed. Particular attention is given to evaluations of stakeholders: students, older adult participants, agencies…

Intergenerational service learning is frequently used in gerontology courses. However, research usually focuses on the experience of the younger (e.g., children, youth, adolescents, students) rather than older participants, or older adults who are in poor health. Using a focus group methodology, this study explored the experience of active older…

An intergenerational initiative was developed and implemented to enhance gerontology in the first course of the practice sequence. Seventeen students met with older adults (ages 82-98) in the classroom and at an assisted living facility. The evaluation of this older adult infusion project was conducted through two questionnaires and by the review…

Although the concept of communities of practice (CoPs) has been applied to many fields, the application within the context of the senior citizens' interaction must be different from those in the vocational arena. In Toy Clinic Shops (TCSs) in Taiwan, senior volunteers together sharpen their skills of repairing toys for school children, which can…

This article describes the development and qualitative student outcomes of an intergenerational service-learning course designed to promote social work gerontological competencies. Efforts focused on creating a learning environment to actively promote learning opportunities for students and older adults. The course was hosted at a local, private,…

Graduate and undergraduate gerontology students teamed to design and implement intergenerational service-learning projects. A weekly critical incident questionnaire gathered data on team development, collaboration, and learning. Students (n=17) considered team process the high point of the class; learning emerged through struggles with the…

Responses from 59 of 80 undergraduate gerontology students participating in the Elder Mentor Relationship program revealed that, despite initial apprehension, most students found it rewarding. It increased their understanding about aging, fostered respect and admiration, and contributed to personal growth. (SK)

The LinkAges project engages elderly residents of the Dominican Republic in teaching three to six year olds, enhancing children's learning ability, fostering positive attitudes toward aging, and giving the elders opportunities to use their skills and transmit their cultural heritage. (SK)