Implementation and evaluation of an intergenerational project about elder heatlh and interpersonal relations

Description

Belgium is experiencing an unprecedented increase of the aging population (Iweps, 2016). Faced with identified socio-economic issues and challenges, current health policy wish to promote the maintains or developing independence for seniors as well as the possibility for them to stay at their own home (Alvarez, 2016). However, many surveys say that the supply of medical care at home is still inadequate (staff shortage…) and that advancing age is marked by significant social inequalities that may affect “successful” aging (Carrière et al., 2015).

Therefore, our project was planned with the wish to analyze the respective social representations of advancing age and its accompaniment (professional or not – influence on the daily practices and career). Then, it aspires to promote the development of innovative intergenerational activities that are based on the game to foster health, quality of life, intergenerational exchanges between the elder and his entourage and also to asses the scope of these activities in an empirical way.