Page 12 - Senior Scene Magazine December 2017

Senior Scene® | December Issue
Message from Janice Harvey Of ce of Volunteer and Communty Services Florida Department of Elder Affairs
Intergenerational Week
The Department of Elder Affairs will recognize the rst week in December as Intergenerational Week. During this week, communities across the state are encouraged to plan activities to bring youth and older adults together. Ac- cording to Generations United, a clearinghouse for improv- ing intergenerational connections, “Intergenerational pro- grams are social vehicles that can offer younger and older generations the opportunities to interact and become en- gaged in issues concerning our society.” It is through these kinds of programs that both generations can share their knowledge, talents, resources, and expertise. Meaningful relationships can be created that bene t both individuals and the community.
In the past, it was commonplace to see multiple generations sharing the same household. Grandparents usually resided in the home, saw their grandchildren dai- ly, and shared in the responsibility of rearing them. Now, living arrangements have changed, and some families are separated by great distances. Not having grandparents doesn’t mean youth can’t have older people in their lives. Margaret Mead, an American cultural anthropologist, once said, “Somehow, we have to get older people back close to growing children, if we are to restore a sense of commu- nity, acquire knowledge of the past, and provide a sense of the future.”
There isn’t a one-size- ts-all method for older adults
and youth to engage in intergenerational programs. There are many opportunities for wholesome interactions. The key is to make time and engage in activities that individ- uals of any generation will enjoy doing together. Learn- ing how to navigate a smart phone, using a computer, teaching social media, culinary art, gardening, mentoring, art, and reading are just some of the activities for consid- eration. Celebration of Intergenerational Week, Dec. 4-8, can be as simple as doing something for an older adult
in your neighborhood, making a telephone call to an old- er adult, writing a letter to a grandparent, storytelling to youth, putting a puzzle together, or playing a board game.
It is time for Florida communities to become stake- holders in making Intergenerational Week the catalyst for encouraging opportunities to bring youth and seniors to- gether. Our communities have a responsibility to invest in our children, so those children can draw from the wealth of experience and knowledge of our seniors. This is what in- tergenerational week is all about: raising awareness of the bene ts that intergenerational connections bring.
I lived in a multigenerational family household. My childhood was much richer because of the presence of grandparents in the home. I learned the importance of re- lationships with seniors and developed life-long skills like tolerance, acceptance, and family traditions. I was exposed to various activities that enriched my relationship with my grandparents and with other older adults. I didn’t know
Tallahassee continued on page 53
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12 | www.seniorscenemag.com | December 2017
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