Public health promotion & Generational Intelligence

Public health promotion&Generational Intelligence • Irja Haapala, PhD Nutrition, Teacher Cert Reg Public Health Nutr, Reg Clinical Nutr University of Eastern Finland Irja.Haapala@uef.fi National Ageing Research Institute, University of Melbourne, Australia

Generational Intelligence • A theoretical model to help establish good intergenerational (working) relations. (Biggs S, Haapala I, Lowenstein A. 2011. Exploring generational intelligence as a model for examining the process of intergenerational relationships Ageing & Society 31: 1107-1124. Published online: 15 November 2010)

Dimensions of Generational Intelligence • Relative ability to put yourself in the position of other generations. • The degree to which one becomes conscious of self as part of a generation. • Relative ability to negotiate between generational positions.

Rural Youth Association: 4H Finland • 4H (Rural Youth Association) offers short training in senior service to 14-23 y old youth. • 4H is the biggest youth organization in Finland • >79 000 members • 250 associations supported by 14 district offices • http://www.4h.fi/in_english/

4H Senior Service training • About 40 h • Basics about aged care and work life in general • e.g., human life cycle, nutrition, memory problems, sensory impairment, accident prevention, emergencies, spirituality, interaction skills, and customer service. Visit to a care home. • And some cooking & cleaning  but as these are taught in Home Economics in 7th grade, it is not emphasised. • 14,000 youth were trained by 2012.

Aims • To study the extent to which generational intelligence is applied in the interactions taking place in rural youth senior service. • To find out what were the participants’ • Motivators • Perceptions and preconceptions • Gains from and satisfaction with the interaction.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS • Area with active take-up of 4H senior service. • 4 younger people (16-23 y girls); 5 older adults (81-88 y; 3 women, 2 men). • Qualitative data collected in June 2010 in a rural town in Eastern Finland. • Semi-structured interviews. • Content analysis using the Generational Intelligence theoretical model by Biggs & Lowenstein. (Biggs S, Haapala I, Lowenstein A. 2011. Exploring generational intelligence as a model for examining the process of intergenerational relationships Ageing & Society 31: 1107-1124.)

Results Motivators for participation in senior service: Ideological and instrumental motives among youth: • the value of helping out • earning money • following peer example • considering a career in this field. Motivators for participation in senior service Seniors sought help with the heavier chores… • due to loss of personal competence or for the loss of spouse as a “helper with the heavier chores”

Perceptions of own generational needs/priorities Priorities for youth: • Future oriented thinking • Parental family, friends, career choice, free time • Appreciation for work ”...when there isn’t much of it on offer for all of us” (23 y) Priorities for older adults: • Thinking in the present • Personal health, going out (for coffee etc), participation in (cultural) activities, contacts with peers, peer support. ”All I need to do is go out to sit down in that swing-seat, and that’s where we joke about” (84 y, male)

Preconceptions of the other generation Held by youth: • older adults may have poor functional capacity or physical health • are demanding customers • can be difficult to interact with • changing moods like children • have a different world-view. Held by older adults: the youths lack practical skills and need teaching; they lack the motivation to work.

Perceptions of the generational differences The young people saw differences in: • Attitudes towards the amount of physical work. • Growing up in ”different times”. The older adults saw differences in: • Consumer behaviour • Family values; the young resist friendly advice. • Attitude to the enjoyment of life • (Joyful happiness vs. Contenment)

Opinions about the interaction: Youth: Interaction was mostly about cleaning the house, but other social interaction seemed important as well. ”The older person always hangs around to chat.” Problems: Some lacked boundaries. Older adults: Quality of work varied, but this was not too important; sometimes the young were not quite sure if they wished to do this or lacked motivation, and sometimes the communication was a bit difficult ” ...this one girl is such a quiet one; it is difficult to get contact with her. I wonder if this is about young ones finding it difficult to talk with the oldies. Perhaps the gap is too wide. (88 y, female)

Gains from the interaction Youth: • Social interaction, development of practical skills in everyday living, feeling of being needed and useful, learning from older people’s life experience. • ”...and when they give me praise, it really makes me feel good. (19 y)

Gains from the interaction Older adults: • Got help with cleaning, offered a work opportunity for the young ones, helped the young learn and develop their skills to manage everyday living, got contact with other people. ”...the home stays tidy and it is good to get contact with other people... (84 y, male)

Generational intelligence (GI)? • Generational intelligence mediated the challenges of interaction across age-groups. • Perhaps more strongly so for the younger ones. This consisted of: 1. recognising and valuing generational differences 2. finding common ground 3. gaining social and practical outcomes

For future projects The GI model can be used • to help prepare both parties for the interaction • to evaluate the process and outcomes.

Dimensions of Generational Intelligence • Relative ability to put yourself in the position of other generations. • The degree to which one becomes conscious of self as part of a generation. • Relative ability to negotiate between generational positions.

the Grand-Pairing pilot study • To test the feasibility of a 75+ preventive, social inclusion strategy involving SMEs.

Methods • A qualitative pilot study • An 83 year-old woman with progressive loss of eye-sight, in London • Two 15-year-old girls from Eastern Finland, one at a time. • Parental and informed consent were obtained. • 2-3 week work experience – changed to 1 -2 weeks • Travel expenses and upkeep paid by older person • Own room, access to Internet and private mobile phone. • Pre and post semi-structured interviews. • Perceptions, expectations, and opinions examined.

Generational intelligence (GI)? • …or the lack of it - due to lack of training and exposure

...Suggestions for future practice Adolescents’ • Short training with advisory booklets • A support-family to live near-by • Activities to elicit communication before (via letters) and during the work experience week • Free-time activities with other adolescents • Would recommend it to peers pursuing a career in elder care or those really willing to help older people Older person • “I can recommend it to others.” • “Might require good educational background.” • ”How to cope with a less-mature adolescent?”

Conclusions • Worth developing further. • The GI-model in ”pre-grand-pair training” could promote generationally aware encounters and successful participation in the project.

For the discussion, 10 minutes time • How could the Generational Intelligence model help you with your intergenerational projects?

Further questions? • Contact: • Irja.Haapala@uef.fi

Public health promotion & Generational Intelligence