Our aging population needs social engagement. Here’s how young people can help.
As a 21-year-old college student, one of my closest friends is not another 20-something-year-old student from campus but rather a 75-year-old woman living with dementia, whom I met while volunteering in the memory care unit at a local assisted living facility.
Despite the differences in our life experiences and age, I was struck by how much of myself I saw reflected in her stories of her service in the French military. Intergenerational relationships like ours have a powerful impact on the most vulnerable in society: elders living with dementia.
These intergenerational relationships offer connection, shared humanity, and empathy for both the ELWD and the young.
In spaces where dementia can exacerbate isolation, it is more important than ever to foster relationships across generations that reciprocally benefit both the youth and ELWD.
People living with dementia are vulnerable to social isolation
While my experience with the patient is just one example, her story and life with dementia are far from unique.
As of 2024, an estimated 6.9 million Americans ages 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s dementia, with that number expected to double by 2050.
Dementia is generally defined as a significant, lasting decline in one or more areas of cognition, such as memory or problem-solving, that hinders one’s ability to perform everyday tasks.
Those living with dementia are especially vulnerable to social isolation, an issue that already affects the elderly more broadly, with 25% of Americans over age 65 years suffering from social isolation.
At the same time, social isolation has been shown to increase the risk of dementia in elders by about 60%.
Similarly, 1 in every 3 young adults reports feeling lonely. In recognition of this concern, former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy declared a loneliness epidemic in the U.S.
As such, effective interventions are warranted that combat social isolation by fostering intergenerational connections, which are especially critical with the impending rise of dementia.
These programs help guide intergenerational conversations
In response to this growing need, several successful initiatives have fostered meaningful intergenerational connections.
For example, YOBEY Dementia Befriender allows young volunteers to write letters to ELWD and film themselves performing for virtual shows.
Another initiative is Ticket to Talk, an easily accessible mobile app, which generates “tickets” or pre-set conversation ideas to guide young volunteers in having meaningful conversations with ELWD.
Another creative initiative, Opening Minds through Arts, pairs ELWD with student volunteers through an art and crafts program, inspiring elders to take on a role as artists.
Beyond fostering connection, these programs have also benefited the well-being of ELWD. Intergenerational programs encourage cognitive stimulation, helping to sustain cognitive function and reducing social disengagement among ELWD.
ELWD also reap mental health benefits, thus becoming happier overall and enhancing their quality of life. Intergenerational programs have also been shown to increase physical activity among ELWD by facilitating daily experiences such as shopping and gardening.
Additionally, programs that involve teenagers and young children are positively received by ELWD and were found to boost mood and social engagement among ELWD. Overall, intergenerational programs encourage healthy aging through social support.
Youth can benefit from spending time with elders
The benefits of intergenerational connection also extend to younger people. Young individuals who spend more time with ELWD learn to see them as people separate from their dementia. Intergenerational relationships can also help bolster young students’ social skills and increase school attendance.
Various intergenerational program designs found that engagement in artistic endeavors among students and ELWD in dementia care settings fostered empathy skill development in students. One high school student who volunteers at Sunrise Senior Living, Syra, shares, “Hospice volunteering has made me a more understanding person; I am now more at peace with the whole grieving process.”
Her story exemplifies how intergenerational connections can not only enrich the lives of the elderly living with dementia but may also inspire young volunteers to explore ways to connect with ELWD in a more meaningful way.
Volunteering at an assisted living facility is a unique opportunity to form connections. Partnerships between schools and local assisted facilities should encourage students to volunteer for academic course credit.
Even small efforts, such as short visits, music performances and other creative endeavors that serve ELWD, are tremendously beneficial steppingstones for students. Additionally, schools can incorporate dementia awareness and intergenerational communication strategies into the health curriculum, thus normalizing these experiences for students.
In high school and college, it is easy to get trapped inside your close-knit community. Stepping outside of our generational silos to connect with elders like my patient isn’t just a way to pass the time but rather to remind us of the importance of diverse connections in our lives. These relationships bring with them mutual understanding, growth, and fulfillment.
Rachel Lee is an undergraduate student majoring in human health at Emory University.
