Two of my favorite topics – Alzheimer’s and intergenerational programs – go hand in hand in a story that was featured on NPR’s Morning Edition several months ago.

Dr. Peter Whitehouse always advised his older patients who were suffering from memory loss to stay socially active; it was the best prescription he could give them.  So when Dr. Whitehouse and his wife Cathy founded an inner-city charter school in Cleveland eight years ago, he provided opportunities for his patients to do just that. The Intergenerational School utilizes older volunteers, many of whom have mild to advanced Alzheimer’s disease or some form of dementia, to work on projects with the children.  Yes, even those with advanced Alzheimer’s can still participate in meaningful activities – and I applaud and admire Dr. Peter and Cathy Whitehouse for recognizing this and providing these opportunities.

A number of studies have been conducted to assert that volunteering can improve one’s health in a number of ways (such as increased physical strength, improved cognition, and prevention of depression), and Dr. Whitehouse believes that the same is true for those with Alzheimer’s or other cognitive impairments. Although one of the school’s most devoted volunteers, 84-year-old Barbara Kelsey, could not recall why she was being applauded at the awards luncheon, Cathy Whitehouse knows that Kelsey clearly enjoys her work. And isn’t that the most important outcome, science and methodology aside?

The Intergenerational School is really a win-win situation for the students and the seniors involved. Volunteering keeps the seniors active, healthy and engaged. The students learn from the seniors’ life experience and they learn to respect the older generation, regardless of their cognitive impairments or other age-related conditions. In my opinion, this is one of the most important outcomes. I have always admired older people, but I believe that I owe this in part to the wonderful relationships I’ve had with my grandparents. Intergenerational programs can provide that opportunity for those young people who have not had the benefit of knowing their grandparents. During the process, young people learn to respect their elders, and the identity and value of the senior is also affirmed.

One of my best memories while serving as the Activities Director of an assisted living facility in suburban Philadelphia was an intergenerational program, and I can still remember those days in the community room when the residents and students from a local private school were engaged in conversations about everything from modern technology to life during the war. Some of the students (and even some of the seniors) were apprehensive at first, but it didn’t take long for everyone to warm up to each other. And, before long, both the students and seniors anxiously awaited the next gathering.

I would love to see more programs like the one at The Intergenerational School – programs that value the contributions of all seniors, even those with memory impairments, programs that value the importance of senior-student interaction, and above all, programs that work.

Got a story to tell about an intergenerational program that has worked in your church, school or community?  Share it here!

- Michelle Seitzer