Intergenerational Care Program: Enhancing Learning and Well-being in Australia

1. The Intergenerational Care Program Research evaluating an intergenerational learning model in Australia Presented by Professor Anneke Fitzgerald

2. Introduction • Demographic changes require alternative forms of care • Intergenerational care program is the purposeful coming together of younger and older persons • Synergy between child care and community aged care is an opportunity for cost saving and allows for intergenerational learning

3. What we know about Intergenerational Programs: • Provide and opportunity to learn from and connect with the older generation • Helps improve the behaviour that children show towards older people in general • Improvements in children’s pro-social behaviours of sharing, helping and cooperating • Decrease likelihood of juvenile delinquency in later life • Provide older adults with a sense of purpose • Enhance the dignity experienced by older people • Alter communities’ perceptions of older adults and the ageing process from negative to positive • Improve the social outcomes of older people • Encourage older people to remain living in their home longer • Encourages older persons to reminisce FOR CHILDREN FOR OLDER PEOPLE

4. Background research • Legislative requirements • systematic review of current programs in Australia and overseas • A review of existing aged care and child care qualifications • a Delphi study on preferences for models of care and, • a feasibility study into the demand for intergenerational care in the Australia context

5. Findings from our Background Research • A study investigating the legislative requirements for both aged care and child care identified potential barriers in relation to two key areas: • Workforce • Built environment • These potential barriers can be overcome with careful planning and consultation with participants, families, the community and industry experts.

6. Findings from our Background Research Literature review revealed: • The need for purposeful and meaningful curriculum • Time sensitivity • Play-based and sensory • Appeal to both groups

7. Findings from our Background Research • Panel of experts in our feasibility study identified two main alternative models of Intergenerational Care: • Shared Campus Model – Aged day care and child day care centres offer their programs on the same site with shared infrastructure and facilities. The intergenerational care program is then provided in a multi-function room common to both aged care and child care facilities • Visiting Campus Model – Centres are located separately and either children or older people are transported to the other site and intergenerational activities are held n that site for 1-2 hours, twice per week

8. Findings from our Background Research • There was little detail in the literature about funding structure required, therefore a willingness to pay study was conducted to examine care preferences among a sample of 816 Australians. Findings revealed: • There was demand for both visiting campus and co-located campus models. On average people were willing to pay more per session for both models. • Parents were more likely to take up intergenerational care compared to the status quo, and adult carers reported a higher willingness to pay for these services.

9. What we don’t yet know • What are the socio-economic measures that can provide evidence that intergenerational care is feasible, cost effective and sustainable in Australia? • What are the effects of intergenerational learning on educational theory, ie the development of an eldergogy? • What are the opportunities for the aged care and child care workforce in terms of career progression?

10. The Intergenerational Care Program trial

11. Conclusion • We believe that creating an intergenerational community based program will provide purpose, improve the overall experience of ageing and create age friendly communities, resulting in a range of benefits for children, the elderly, their carers, the workforce and society as a whole. • Mixing younger children with older people has been proven to reduce teenage delinquency, has the potential to reduce social isolation of the elderly and may delay entry into residential care.

12. Intergenerational Care • https://youtu.be/xWHkZ20PxA4

13. Thank you!! This research is partially funded by: • Griffith University • Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Health Service • Department of Aged Care Services (DACS) • www.intergenerationalcare.org • anneke.fitzgerald@griffith.edu.au