Intergenerational Connections Toolkit by Catherine Lindskog

Intergenerational Connections

Intergenerational+Connections+ Purpose:+The$rapidly$expanding$aging$population$represents$an$often$underutilized$ resource$in$our$society.$Research$has$demonstrated$significant$benefits$both$for$youth$ and$elderly$who$participate$in$intergenerational$activities,$including$an$increase$in$ empathy,$trust,$and$self=esteem.$$Additionally,$connecting$with$senior$citizens$creates$ opportunities$for$students$to$enhance$academic$learning$while$increasing$their$career$ skills.$$This$mutual$learning$experience$empowers$both$youth$and$elderly$by$increasing$ community$engagement$among$young$people$and$lessening$feelings$of$isolation$among$ elders.$$Intergenerational$relationships$create$a$common$sense$of$purpose$among$youth$ and$the$elderly.$$ Goals+of+the+Activity:+Intergenerational$Connections$is$a$project$originally$designed$for$ the$Chicago$Public$Schools$Service$Learning$Initiative.$It$combines$a$series$of$curricular$ resources$with$an$experiential$component$of$service$and$action$with$senior$citizens.$The$ primary$goal$of$this$project$is$to$foster$greater$awareness$of$aging$and$issues$faced$by$ the$elderly$population.$By$engaging$students$in$classroom$learning$that$is$linked$to$a$ direct$experience$with$seniors,$this$project$also$aims$to$generate$greater$empathy$ across$generations$as$young$people$also$become$aware$of$some$of$the$similar$issues$ that$elderly$and$adolescents$share$in$common.$$This$project$also$promotes$students’$ civic$responsibility$as$they$engage$in$community=based$activities$to$commit$to$action$ around$an$issue$faced$by$the$elderly$population.$$ Duration+of+Activity:+It$is$recommended$to$complete$this$entire$project$during$no$less$ than+6$months$of$the$school$year.$Ideally,$the$experience$is$to$be$sustainable$in$that$ schools$build$relationships$with$local$senior$organizations$in$their$communities$and$have$ regular$interactions$throughout$a$significant$time$period.$With$an$academic$calendar$ based$on$semesters,$the$idea$is$to$establish$a$relationship$with$an$organization$that$lasts$ at$least$half$of$the$school$year,$however,$it$is$encouraged$to$extend$beyond$this$for$up$ to$one$year$with$the$same$group$of$students$if$possible.$$ Timeline:+This$timeline$is$based$on$implementing$an$Intergenerational$Connections$ project$during$an$academic$calendar$year.$$ Time$Frame$ September=October$ Early$October$ Middle$of$October$ End$of$October$ November$

Task$ Make$connection$with$a$local$senior$ residency$center.$$ Begin$taking$students$through$initial$stage$ of$awareness$building$activities.$$ Students$start$thinking$about$an$issue$ related$to$aging$that$they$want$to$explore$ further.$See$toolkit$for$ideas.$ First$trip$to$residency$center.$$ Students$reflect$on$trip$to$residency$center$ and$begin$to$reach$out$to$organizations$

December$

January$ February$ March$

April$ April$ May$ May$

that$work$around$issues$related$to$ aging/elderly$that$are$important$to$them.$$ Invite$members$of$a$local$organization$to$ come$and$speak$to$the$class.$This$may$be$ out$of$student=led$research$and$ recommendation.$$ Second$trip$to$residency$center$ Students$in$the$action=phase$of$awareness$ building$around$an$issue.$ Students$present$their$action$project$to$ community$members$(school,$given$ organization,$community$center,$senior$ center,$etc)$ Third$trip$to$residency$center$ Students$reflect$on$the$results$of$their$ participation$in$the$action$project$and$ future$steps$they’d$like$to$take.$ Final$trip$to$residency$center:$celebration$ with$seniors$ Students$reflect$on$overall$participation$in$ Intergenerational$Connections$

$ Key+Players+Involved:+classroom$teachers,$community$partners,$senior$citizens,$students$ Target+Level+of+Audience:+Elementary,$middle,$and$high$school$students$(The$ Intergenerational$Connections$Activities$were$originally$designed$for$high$school$ students,$but$many$of$the$activities$can$be$adapted$across$all$developmental$levels).$+ Ideal+Group+Size:+15=20.$While$this$is$an$idea$group$size,$it$is$not$always$possible$to$have$ such$a$small$group,$particularly$in$the$Chicago$Public$Schools$where$many$classrooms$ have$up$to$30$students.$In$all$cases,$it$is$important$for$the$teacher$to$ensure$the$senior$ center$has$capacity$to$hold$the$amount$of$students$s/he$is$hoping$to$bring.+ Advanced+Preparation+Time:+Preparation$time$for$the$activities$included$in$this$manual$ vary.$The$actual$preparation$period$required$to$establish$a$connection$with$a$senior$ center$should$begin$at$least$one$month$prior$to$the$beginning$of$the$intended$visits.$See$ timeline$for$a$breakdown$of$what$this$project$might$look$like$over$the$course$of$a$school$ year.$ Materials+Needed:+Varies,$depending$on$activity.+ Description+and+Instructions+for+Implementation:$Intergenerational$Connections$begins$ with$a$series$of$activities$that$explore$themes$and$issues$facing$the$elderly$population.$ These$activities$typically$start$in$the$classroom$as$preparation$for$the$service/action$

component$of$the$project.$They$focus$on$cultural$and$social$themes$and$build$ interpersonal$skills.$$ The$manual$has$a$list$of$organizations$in$the$Chicago$area$that$includes$senior$ residencies$and$nursing$homes,$as$well$as$non=profits$focusing$on$the$elderly$population$ in$social$and$emotional$well=being,$advocacy,$and$policy.$While$most$organizations$on$ this$list$are$specific$to$Chicago,$there$are$organizations$that$exist$at$a$national$level,$with$ chapters$in$various$States.$Others$take$on$a$similar$state/local$model$in$other$areas.$ Users$of$the$manual$outside$of$Chicago$are$encouraged$to$use$this$as$well$as$all$ components$specific$to$Chicago$as$an$opportunity$to$build$a$connection$with$an$ organization$that$does$similar$work.$My$goal$is$to$expand$the$database$of$organizations$ internationally$so$please$share$any$additional$recommendations$that$you$have.$$ Teachers$can$establish$partnerships$with$one$of$the$senior$sites$and$make$visits$with$ students$throughout$the$year.$$Other$non=profit$organizations$may$be$useful$as$part$of$ curricular$activities$for$research$or$inviting$speakers$to$talk$about$aging$issues.$$The$ manual$includes$a$series$of$project$ideas$that$engage$students$in$service$and$action$on$ themes$related$to$aging$and$the$elderly.$$ $ Critique:+Each$year,$the$Chicago$Public$Schools$Service=Learning$Initiative$sponsors$The$ Summer$of$Service$and$Leadership.$It$provides$incoming$freshman$students$the$ opportunity$to$connect$with$peers$at$their$new$high$school$through$a$four=week$ program$focusing$on$different$themes$of$service.$$For$the$majority,$this$is$the$first$time$ that$they$will$interact$with$other$peers$in$a$new$environment$and$as$such,$the$service$ and$leadership$activities,$which$are$co=facilitated$by$mentors$at$the$university$level$and$ classroom$teachers,$are$opportunities$for$them$to$bond$over$meaningful$experiences.$ The$Intergenerational$Connections$Project$developed$much$in$part$to$the$SOSL$ experience.$During$one$of$the$weeks,$students$focus$on$aging/elderly$issues.$The$ students’$response$to$being$part$of$intergenerational$activities$for$this$institute$was$so$ positive,$that$a$city=wide$Intergenerational$Connections$project$was$launched$as$a$ means$of$building$on$an$opportunity$that$reaches$the$entire$school$district,$for$a$ semester$or$academic$school$year.$$ $ Prior$to$the$service$experience,$students$participate$in$a$series$of$classroom= based$activities.$Many$of$those$are$found$in$the$Intergenerational$Connections$guide$ here$and$have$been$adapted$from$a$variety$of$resources$and$organizations$whose$ emphasis$is$to$promote$elderly$and$aging.$In$the$first$component,$educators$may$choose$ from$a$variety$of$activities$to$build$awareness$of$issues$affecting$the$elderly.$It$serves$as$ a$means$to$get$young$people$thinking$about$discrimination$that$senior$citizens$face$in$ society$that$is$often$associated$linked$to$issues$of$ageism$that$both$young$and$old$can$ relate.$$This$section$also$prepares$students$for$the$service$experience$with$the$elderly$by$ focusing$on$interpersonal$communication$skills.$$

$ The$second$section$on$service$and$action$provides$resources$on$key$issues$and$ themes$affecting$the$elderly$and$aging$population.$Educators$may$use$these$issues$as$ starting$points$for$inquiry$into$potential$action$and$service$projects$for$development$ with$their$students.$Such$issues$include$access$to$affordable$housing,$intercultural$ awareness,$as$well$as$health$and$wellness.$$It$also$includes$examples$of$potential$service$ projects,$such$as$oral$history$projects$or$health$and$fitness$days.$ $ The$third$component$offers$specific$intergenerational$activities$that$may$be$used$ when$engaging$students$with$the$elderly.$This$section$offers$activities$that$may$be$ specifically$relevant$to$exploring$cultural$themes$as$a$means$for$young$people$to$ contrast$how$culture,$society,$and$age$intersect$to$form$perspectives$and$experiences.$ For$example,$one$high$school$classroom$teacher$invited$a$local$organization$to$come$to$ the$school$and$present$an$Elder$Panel.$Part$of$this$panel$included$an$elderly$immigrant$ woman$from$Mexico,$and$an$African$American$man$from$the$south$who$lived$under$the$ Jim$Crow$Laws$and$the$Civil$Rights$Movement.$Students$learned$about$the$historical$and$ cultural$experiences$of$these$individuals$and$how$they$have$impacted$their$present$day$ lives$in$Chicago$by$asking$questions$that$allowed$them$to$contrast$their$life$experiences.$$ $ To$formally$launch$Intergenerational$Connections,$we$hosted$a$teacher$kickoff$ event.$At$the$event,$we$invited$representatives$from$different$community$organizations$ who$came$and$talked$with$teachers$about$ways$in$which$they$could$collaborate.$One$of$ the$representatives$from$the$Gray$Panthers$Association$discussed$some$of$the$policy$ initiatives$in$their$current$campaign$agenda.$She$proposed$bringing$a$group$of$seniors$to$ schools$to$have$conversations$with$them$around$some$of$the$policies$affecting$senior$ citizens,$such$as$affordable$housing$and$healthcare.$By$bringing$a$certain$level$of$ awareness$around$these$topics,$students$begin$to$understand$common$connections.$ They$then$have$the$opportunity$to$participate$in$events,$such$as$rallies,$marches,$or$ lobbying$to$state$representatives.$$ $ As$Intergenerational$Connections$is$in$its$very$early$stages,$we$are$still$waiting$ for$more$formal$feedback$from$students$and$teachers$about$their$experiences.$$Yet$from$ previous$experiences$that$mirror$some$of$the$activities$in$this$project,$here$are$some$ quotes$from$students$who’ve$created$blogs,$newsletters,$or$have$reported$back$to$us$ personally$on$their$intergenerational$service$experience:$ $ “My$favorite$part$was$sitting$and$talking$with$one$of$the$seniors.$At$first$when$we$went$ to$the$senior$center,$I$thought$it$was$going$to$be$really$boring.$I$never$imagined$that$I$ would$sit$with$an$older$man$and$that$we$would$have$so$much$to$talk$about$and$that$I$ would$enjoy$it!”$Michael$M.$ $ “Overall$my$first$visit$to$the$senior$residency$has$changed$my$perception$of$the$older$ generation$and$what$they$bring$to$the$table$of$life.$It$has$made$me$stop$and$think,$$‘One$ day$I$will$be$in$their$shoes$and$I$too$will$want$to$welcome$a$friendly$face$with$a$smile.’”$ Jasmine$L.$ $ “Being$at$the$retirement$home$was$changing$and$educating.$It$made$me$see$myself$in$ their$shoes$and$think$of$my$future$and$how$I$would$spend$my$time.$I$thought$of$where$I$

would$end$up$and$whom$I$would$be$with.$How$many$children$I$would$have$and$about$my$ brothers$and$sisters$and$where$they$would$be.$It$made$me$wonder$if$I$would$end$up$in$a$ retirement$home$as$well$or$stay$with$my$family$in$my$own$home.$It$made$me$want$to$ return$and$help$out$even$more.”$Clara$A.$ $ $ Intergenerational$Connections$is$an$exciting$opportunity$that$brings$together$ students,$educators,$community$collaborators,$and$elders,$whose$wisdom$is$most$ powerfully$gained$through$personal$interaction.$$You$are$invited$to$take$part$in$this$ unique$experience$in$the$pages$that$follow.$ $ $

Facts+and+Figures+about+Aging+ Demographics!of!Aging!

There!are!40!million!people!in!the!U.S.!age!65!and!older.!!That’s!about!13!percent!of!the!population.! The!median!household!income!for!U.S.!householders!age!65!and!older!is!$23,047.!! 14%!of!Americans!age!65!and!older!are!employed.! There!are!49,000!Americans!age!65!and!older!enrolled!in!colleges!and!universities.! Among!the!U.S.!population!65–74!years!old,!77!%!of!men!and!53!%!of!women!live!with!their! spouses.!!! About!30%!of!older!persons!live!alone.!! The!percentage!of!Americans!age!65!and!older!living!in!nursing!homes!is!4.5!%,!which!is!down!from!! 5.1!%!in!1990.!The!decline!was!sharpest!among!those!age!85!and!over:!18.2!percent!lived!in!nursing! homes!in!2000;!24.5!percent!did!so!in!1990.! The!percentage!of!U.S.!citizens!age!65!to!74!who!voted!in!the!2000!presidential!election!was!72!%!–! the!highest!of!any!age!group.! The!proportion!of!U.S.!householders!age!65!to!74!who!own!their!own!home!is!81%.!This!is!the! highest!home–ownership!rate!of!any!age!group.! The!last!Census!revealed!that!the!fastest!growing!states!for!older!people!are!Nevada,!Alaska,! Arizona!and!New!Mexico.!(Florida!still!has!the!most).! The!U.S.!ranks!second!in!the!number!among!countries!of!people!age!80!and!over.!(China!ranks!first).! There!are!70!men!age!65!and!older!for!every!100!women.! There!were!50,454!centenarians!counted!in!Census!2000!–!about!one!in!every!5,578!people.!

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Grandparents!Raising!Grandchildren! According!to!the!U.S.!Census,!2.4+million!grandparents!are!primary!caregivers!to!their!grandchildren,! a!phenomenon!that!the!U.S.!Census!Bureau!tracked!for!the!first!time!in!2000.!Roughly!one!in!five! (18.9!%)!live!in!poverty.! There!are!213,465!children!in!Illinois!under!the!age!of!18!living!in!a!grandparent–headed!household! (which!includes!houses!in!which!a!parent!is!living).!This!represents!nearly!a!30+percent+increase! since!the!1990!Census.!Nearly+104,000+grandparents+are+raising+their+grandchildren+in+Illinois.! Illinois!ranks!fifth!in!the!nation!in!the!number!of!children!being!raised!by!grandparents,!behind! California,!New!York,!Texas!and!Florida.!Nationally,!about!4.5!million!children!live!with!their! grandparents!(this!figure!reflects!households!in!which!a!parent!may!also!reside).! According!to!the!Census!data,!the!majority!of!grandparents!raising!grandchildren!have!been! responsible!for!their!grandchildren!for!a!year!or!more,!and!35%!have!been!raising!them!for!at!least! five!years.! Factors!contributing!to!the!growing!number!of!grandparents!raising!grandchildren!include:!! substance!abuse;!neglect,!abuse!and!abandonment;!death!of!a!parent;!HIV/AIDS;!divorce;! unemployment!and!poverty;!parental!incarceration;!teen!pregnancy;!and!welfare!reform.!!! The!median!age!of!a!grandparent!raising!grandchildren!is!57.! Grandparents!may!be!caring!for!children!with!little!advance!notice.!They!have!stepped!forward!to! care!for!children!often!at!tremendous!personal!sacrifice.!They!may!encounter!difficulty!with!legal,! financial,!health,!education,!medical!and!other!matters.! !

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Health!and!Nutrition! The!National!Institute!on!Aging!advises!that!a!daily!diet!for!seniors!should!include!at!least!two! servings!of!milk!(or!dairy!products!low!in!lactose);!two!servings!of!high!protein!foods!like!lean!meat,! eggs,!legumes!and!nuts;!four!servings!of!fruit!and!vegetables;!and!four!servings!of!bread!or!cereal.!!! Generally,!daily!calorie!needs!decline!with!age,!but!there!is!no!decrease!in!the!need!for!nutrients.! Thus,!foods!should!be!chosen!for!nutrition!density.!!Daily!calorie!intake!for!a!moderately!active! elderly!man!or!woman!who!is!neither!obese!nor!malnourished!should!be!in!the!range!of!10!to!14! calories!per!pound!(for!someone!of!150!pounds,!1,500!to!2,100!calories).! Difficulties!in!chewing,!a!limited!food!budget,!and!digestive!problems!may!provide!obstacles!to! adequate!protein!intake!for!some!seniors.!Protein!can!be!supplied!by!soups,!small!portions!of!lean! meat!or!fish,!eggs,!cottage!cheese,!and!vegetable!proteins.! For!the!body!to!use!calcium,!there!must!be!sufficient!vitamin!D.!Older!people!who!do!not!get!much! sunshine!and!who!avoid!vitamin!D–enriched!dairy!foods!may!need!a!supplement!(with!a!doctor’s! approval).!! Eating!in!pleasant!surroundings!–!at!a!table!with!dishes!instead!of!eating!out!of!containers,!or!with! the!accompaniment!of!music!or!a!radio!if!eating!alone!–!may!help!those!with!a!loss!of!appetite.! Many!older!people!also!lose!interest!in!food!as!the!number!and!sensitivity!of!taste!buds!diminish.!! A!meal!may!represent!a!cultural!and!social!event!as!much!as!a!physiological!necessity.!Friends!and! family!can!help!with!shopping!and!menu!ideas,!or!help!the!frail!older!person!receive!home– delivered!meals!or!find!a!group!meal!site!nearest!to!the!older!person.!These!programs!are!funded!by! the!Illinois!Department!on!Aging!and!Area!Agencies!on!Aging!and!provided!through!community! agencies!throughout!the!state.! !

! Source:!Illinois!Department!on!Aging! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

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PRE+AGE+ATTITUDES+SURVEY+ Name:________________________! !

School:___________________!

About!what!age!do!you!feel!someone!is!old?!________!Very!old?!!_______! List!the!FIRST!FIVE!WORDS!that!come!to!mind!when!you!think!about!people!who!are!old!or!very!old:! ! How!much!do!you!agree!or!disagree!with!the!statements!below!about!MOST!old!people?!Please!give!your! honest!opinion.!!There!are!no!right!or!wrong!answers.!!! Strongly! Agree!

Agree!

Disagree!

Strongly! Disagree!

1. Most!old!people!are!pretty!much!the!same.!

2. Most!old!people!are!interesting.!

3. Most!old!people!are!grumpy!or!unpleasant.!

4. Most!old!people!are!interested!in!learning!new! things.!

5. Most!old!people!are!sick!or!need!a!lot!of!help.!

6. Most!old!people!don’t!like!young!people.!

7. Most!old!people!are!able!to!change!if!they!need! to.!

8. I!am!comfortable!around!most!old!people.!

9. Most!old!people!are!forgetful!or!confused.!

10. Most!old!people!have!no!more!faults!than! anybody!else.!

11. Most!old!people!don’t!like!to!volunteer!to!help! others.!

12. Old!people!take!the!time!to!listen!to!younger! people.! !

Source:!Little!Brothers,!Intergenerational!Program,!Student!Attitudes!Survey!

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POST+AGE+ATTITUDES+SURVEY! Name:________________________! !

School:___________________!

About!what!age!do!you!feel!someone!is!old?!________!Very!old?!!_______! List!the!FIRST!FIVE!WORDS!that!come!to!mind!when!you!think!about!people!who!are!old!or!very!old:!

! How!much!do!you!agree!or!disagree!with!the!statements!below!about!MOST!old!people?!Please!give! your!honest!opinion.!!There!are!no!right!or!wrong!answers.!!! !

Strongly! Agree!

Agree!

Disagree!

Strongly! Disagree!

1.Most!old!people!are!pretty!much!the!same.!

2.Most!old!people!are!interesting.!

3.Most!old!people!are!grumpy!or!unpleasant.!

4.Most!old!people!are!interested!in!learning!new!!!! !!!things.!

5.Most!old!people!are!sick!or!need!a!lot!of!help.!

6.Most!old!people!don’t!like!young!people.!

7.Most!old!people!are!able!to!change!if!they!need!! !!!!to.!

8.I!am!comfortable!around!most!old!people.!

9.Most!old!people!are!forgetful!or!confused.!

10.Most!old!people!have!no!more!faults!than!! !!!!!anybody!else.!

11.Most!old!people!don’t!like!to!volunteer!to!help!! !!!!!others.!

12.Old!people!take!the!time!to!listen!to!younger!!! !!!!!people.!

Source:!Little!Brothers,!Intergenerational!Program,!Student!Attitudes!Survey!

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Section(2:(Awareness(and(Skill3Building:(Activities( Designed(to(Explore(Aging(and(Build(Interactional(Skills( !

This!section!is!designed!to!provide!educators!with!activities!to!build!awareness!of! the!issues!affecting!the!elderly.!There!are!many!opportunities!to!draw!parallel! connections!between!struggles!that!both!young!people!and!seniors!face!in! society,!particularly!relative!to!ageism!and!discrimination.!! ! In!addition,!there!are!activities!designed!to!prepare!students!for!their!service! experience!with!seniors!aimed!at!building!communication!skills!that!will!lead!to! positive!interactions!amongst!the!youth!and!elderly!participants.!! ! Session!1:!!Aging!Across!America:!Pop!Quiz!and!Inquiry,!p.!13! Session!2:!Path!of!Life,!p.!18! Session!3:!When!I’m!Sixty!Four,!p.!20! Session!4:!Stereotypes!and!Ageism,!p.!22! Session!5:!Building!Awareness!to!Aging!IssuesPA!Sensory!Experience,!p.!25! Session!6:!Images!of!Aging,!p.!29! Session!7:!Article!Discussion,!p.!30!

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Session(1:!!Aging(Across(America:(Pop(Quiz(and(Inquiry!! Instructions:! 1.) Pop!Quiz:!Have!students!complete!the!pop!quiz!“Aging!Across!America”!as!a!means!to! get!them!thinking!about!some!of!the!issues!effecting!elderly!people!in!the!United!States.! Afterwards,!discuss!the!answers!with!the!quiz!and!compare!their!responses.! 2.) Inquiry!into!Aging:!Once!students!have!discussed!their!answers!to!the!pop!quiz,!use!the! following!activities!as!a!means!of!beginning!the!inquiry!process!on!issues!affecting!the! aging!population.!Begin!with!the!following!short!openPended!set!of!questions!for! students!to!answer!independently.!!Student!answers!can!lead!to!an!honest,!open! discussion!of!various!issues!related!to!aging.!! ! 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

What!is!old!age?! Who!is!the!oldest!person!you!know?!!!How!old!is!that!person?! Name!five!organizations!that!work!with!senior!citizens?! What!is!Social!Security?! What!is!disability!pay?!!How!much!does!it!provide!for!a!senior!citizen?! How!are!elderly!people!discriminated!against?! Who!lives!in!assisted!living!centers?! What!is!a!nursing!home?! What!organizations!do!you!personally!know!that!work!with!senior! citizens?! 10. What!type!of!activities!are!you!willing!to!do!with!senior!citizens?! ! Once!students!have!answered!the!questions,!ask!them!to!share!responses!from!the!group!and! then!discuss!answers.!!This!activity!can!be!completed!in!a!single!class!period.!! !!

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AGING!ACROSS!AMERICA:!POP!QUIZ! Please!circle!“T”!for!true!or!“F”!for!false!for!each!of!the!following!statements:! 1. The!majority!of!older!adults!will!become!senile!during!old!age.!!

2. Chronological!age!(your!age!in!years)!is!the!most!important!determinant!of!!!! T!

age.!!!

3. Most!seniors!have!difficulty!adapting!to!change;!they!are!“set!in!their!ways.”!!T!!!!!

4. Being!inactive!contributes!more!to!physical!decline!than!aging!itself.! !

5. Intelligence!declines!in!old!age;!“you!can’t!teach!an!old!dog!new!tricks.”!!!

6. Physical!strength!tends!to!decline!in!old!age.!

7. The!vast!majority!of!older!adults!will!end!up!in!a!nursing!home.!

8. Most!older!adults!are!rejected!by!their!children.!!

9. In!general,!most!older!adults!are!similar.!!

10. Pain!is!a!natural!part!of!the!aging!process.!

11. Rarely!does!someone!over!65!produce!a!great!work!of!art,!science!of!! !

scholarship.!!!

12. With!age!comes!wisdom.!!

13. Most!older!adults!have!income!well!above!the!poverty!level.! !

14. Most!older!adults!say!they!are!happy!all!the!time.!

15. Decline!of!the!senses!occurs!in!old!age.! !

16. The!majority!of!older!adults!say!they!are!angry!or!irritated!most!of!the!time.!!!T!!!!!

17. Older!people!tend!to!become!more!religious!as!they!age.!

18. The!majority!of!older!adults!say!they!are!lonely.!!

19. Old!age!is!really!like!a!“second!childhood.”!

20. Most!older!adults!experience!a!lack!of!interest!in!sex!–!they!become!! !

“asexual.”!!!

! Source:!!Linda!M.!Woolf,!Ph.D,!Webster!University!!www.webster.edu/Pwoolflm/myth17.html!(Adapted)!

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!! AGING!ACROSS!AMERICA:!!POP!QUIZ!ANSWERS! 1. The!majority!of!older!adults!will!become!senile!during!old!age.!!

FALSE.!Most!studies!estimate!that!only!2P3%!of!people!in!their!70s!experience!some!form!of! dementia;!5P10%!in!their!80s;!20P30%!in!the!90s.! 2. Chronological!age!(your!age!in!years)!is!the!most!important!determinant!of!age.! (FALSE.!!Chronological!age!(the!number!of!years!you!have!lived)!is!not!as!important!as!FUNCTIONAL! age,!how!well!one!is!able!to!function!in!his/her!environment.!!The!three!factors!that!make!up! functional!age!are:!!psychological!age,!social!age,!and!physiological/biological!age.!!We!have!all!met! people!who!are!biologically!near!the!end!of!their!life!span,!but!are!independent,!creative,!vibrant,! and!well!able!to!meet!life’s!challenges.! 3. Most!seniors!have!difficulty!adapting!to!change;!they!are!“set!in!their!ways.”!! FALSE.!!Individuals!who!have!trouble!with!adapting!when!they!are!younger!become!older!people! with!the!same!problem.!!It!is!a!personality!trait,!and!not!something!that!comes!with!being!older.! 4. Being!inactive!contributes!more!to!physical!decline!than!aging!itself.!! TRUE.!!Almost!all!of!the!characteristics!we!tend!to!associate!from!“aging”!are!actually!caused!from! having!a!sedentary!lifestyle!! 5. Intelligence!declines!in!old!age;!“you!can’t!teach!an!old!dog!new!tricks.”!

MOSTLY(FALSE.!!Most!adults!do!not!experience!any!decline!in!intellectual!abilities!with!age.!! However,!some!diseases!and!illness!may!lead!to!intellectual!declines,!so!can!living!in!a!deprived! environment!(lack!of!stimulation,!poverty,!etc.)! 6. Physical!strength!tends!to!decline!in!old!age.!

TRUE.!!However,!exercise!can!counteract!and!limit!this!kind!of!decline.!Thus,!someone!who!is!65!and! exercises!regularly!will!probably!be!in!better!shape!and!have!greater!strength!than!a!40PyearPold! couch!potato.! 7. The!vast!majority!of!older!adults!will!end!up!in!a!nursing!home.!

FALSE.!!Only!about!5%!of!older!adults!in!the!United!States!live!in!a!longPterm!care!facility.! 8. Most!older!adults!are!rejected!by!their!children.!

FALSE.!!Studies!demonstrate!that!over!70%!of!older!adults!have!a!child!living!nearby.!!Many!factors! affect!parentPchild!relationships.!!Typically,!close!families!do!not!fall!apart!simply!because!a!parent! has!aged.!! ! ! 15! !

!! 9. In!general,!most!older!adults!are!similar.!

FALSE.!!!In!fact,!studies!show!that!the!older!population!is!LESS!alike!than!any!other!age!group!! People’s!life!experiences!tend!to!shape!them!across!their!life!spans.!!However,!older!adults!who! are!ill!or!suffering!from!chronic!disease!do!seem!to!be!more!alike.!!This!is!the!exception.! 10. Pain!is!a!natural!part!of!the!aging!process.!

11. FALSE.!!Pain!is!a!sign!of!injury!or!illness.!!Pain!should!never!be!ignored!! 12. Rarely!does!someone!over!65!produce!a!great!work!of!art,!science!of!scholarship.!!! 13. FALSE.!!The!creative!and!scholarly!work!of!older!adults!is!amazing.!One!study!suggests!that!the! 60s!(the!age,!not!the!decade)!are!the!most!productive!years!for!historians,!inventors,!botanists,! philosophers,!and!writers.! 14. With!age!comes!wisdom.!

15. MOSTLY(FALSE.!!Studies!tend!to!show!people!who!were!wise!when!they!were!young!are!wise! when!they!are!old;!people!don’t!necessarily!become!“wise”!with!age.! 16. Most!older!adults!have!income!well!above!the!poverty!level.!

17. TRUE(AND(FALSE.!!This!is!somewhat!deceptive,!because!the!federal!poverty!level!is!LOWER!for! seniors!than!for!the!rest!of!the!population.!Many,!many!seniors!still!have!trouble!paying!for! medications,!housing,!and!food,!even!if!they!are!“above”!the!federal!poverty!level!for!senior! citizens.! 18. Most!older!adults!say!they!are!happy!all!the!time.!

19. TRUE.!!The!majority!of!older!adults!report!high!levels!of!life!satisfaction.!!The!more!socially! active!an!individual!is,!the!higher!the!life!satisfaction.!! 20. Decline!of!the!senses!occurs!in!old!age.! 21. MOSTLY(TRUE.!!Across!all!cultures,!there!are!declines!in!visual!ability;!however,!loss!of!hearing! seems!to!occur!mostly!because!of!NOISE!!!Studies!show!that!lowPnoise!level!cultures!(nomadic! and!farming!cultures)!do!not!exhibit!hearing!loss!with!age.! 22. The!majority!of!older!adults!say!they!are!angry!or!irritated!most!of!the!time.!

23. FALSE.!!Basically,!only!people!who!are!always!angry!and!irritated!when!they!are!young!become! older!people!who!are!always!angry!and!irritated.! 24. Older!people!tend!to!become!more!religious!as!they!age.!

25. FALSE.!!How!religious!you!are!tends!to!stay!the!same!across!your!life!span.!!People!don’t!tend!to! “become”!more!religious!as!they!get!older.!!Religious!younger!people!become!religious!older! people.!!In!the!United!States,!older!people!are!more!religious!than!younger!people!because!of! the!time!and!culture!in!which!they!were!raised.! 16! !

!! (Aging!in!America:!Pop!Quiz!AnswersPContinued)!

26. The!majority!of!older!adults!say!they!are!lonely.!!

27. FALSE.!!Surveys!show!that!over!2/3!of!the!senior!population!report!rarely!or!never!being!lonely.!! Young!people!and!middle!adults!experience!the!same!level!of!reported!loneliness.!!HOWEVER,! research!also!suggests!that!urban!living!is!associated!with!higher!levels!of!loneliness!than!living! in!a!small!town.! 28. Old!age!is!really!like!a!“second!childhood.”! 29. FALSE.!!The!human!life!span!goes!in!only!one!direction.!!Older!adults!are!ADULTS!and!should!be! treated!as!such,!even!if!the!elder!is!stricken!by!illness!or!disability.! 30. Most!older!adults!experience!a!lack!of!interest!in!sex!–!they!become!“asexual.”!! 31. FALSE.!This!is!a!great!myth.!!Contrary!to!the!stereotype,!sexuality!continues!to!be!an!important! aspect!of!an!older!adult’s!life.!!Sexuality!is!not!just!a!biological!function;!it!also!includes!the! expression!of!feelings!and!self!in!a!variety!of!ways!in!an!intimate!relationship.

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Session(2:(Path(of(Life( ! Directions:!Ask!students!to!consider!the!following!milestones!in!the!typical!American!lifetime.!! Instruct!them!on!the!following:! ! Take%a%few%moments%to%think%about%their%own%future.%Put%the%number%of%the%milestone%on%the% Path%of%Life%where%you%imagine%that%milestone%will%happen%for%you.%Feel%free%to%add%your%own% milestones,%or%delete%listed%milestones,%if%they%are%not%in%your%plans.%% % Please!note!that!the!milestones!are!not!listed!in!any!particular!order.!! ! ! 1.) !Get!a!job! 2.) !Get!a!partPtime!job! 3.) !Establish!a!checking!account! 4.) !Rent!your!own!apartment/house! 5.) !Get!married! 6.) !Have!children! 7.) !Buy!a!house/condo! 8.) !Buy!your!first!car! 9.) !Finish!education/career!training! 10.) Start!a!retirement!plan! 11.) Retire! 12.) Have!grandchildren! 13.) Have!great!grandchildren! 14.) Travel!to!other!countries! 15.) Do!volunteer!work!to!help!others!! 16.) Help!take!care!of!your!parents! 17.) Learn!a!new!hobby!or!pastime! 18.) Learn!a!new!sport!or!dance! 19.) Start!financial!plans!for!your!kids’!education! 20.) Plan!kids!graduation!from!high!school! ! When!students!have!finished!numbering!their!milestones,!ask!them!to!consider!the!following:! 1.) Was!there!any!particular!milestone!that!was!a!very!strong!priority!for!you?!Why?! 2.) What!was!the!most!challenging!part!about!this!activity?!! 3.) Was!there!any!milestone!that!you!added?!Why?! 4.) Why!is!an!activity!like!this!important!for!thinking!about!your!personal!and!professional! goals?!! ! ! ! Source:!Chicago!Department!on!Aging!

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Session(3:(When(I’m(Sixty(Four( % This!activity!asks!students!to!reflect!on!their!current!life!and!how!it!may!look!when!they!are! older.!! ! Instructions:( 1.) Distribute!the!handout!“When!I’m!Sixty!Four”!and!ask!students!to!complete!it.!! ! 2.) When!they!are!finished,!have!them!share!their!comparisons!with!a!partner.!! ! 3.) Ask!them!to!discuss!the!following!with!their!partner:!! 1.) What!was!the!most!difficult!part!about!doing!this!activity?! 2.) How!did!you!feel!when!you!were!imagining!certain!aspects!of!your!life!at!age!64?! Why?! 3.) Was!there!anything!that!stayed!the!same!on!your!list,!regardless!of!your!age?!Why?! 4.) What!is!one!thing!on!your!list!that!you!imagined!would!be!significantly!different! when!you!are!64?! 5.) What!category!would!you!add!to!this!list?!Why?! 6.) How!does!making!a!comparison!to!our!age!now!and!in!the!future!help!us!to!better! understand!people!who!are!around!the!age!64!right!now?!! !

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Handout!

When(I’m(Sixty(Four( ! Take!some!time!to!think!ahead!to!the!time!you!will!be!the!age!64.!!Fill!in!the!columns.! ( The!people!I!like!to! hang!out!with!

NOW(

WHEN(I’M(SIXTY(FOUR(

What!I!like!to!do! ! with!my!spare!time!

Who!I!live!with!

How!I!get!money!to! ! live!

What!I!enjoy! learning!about!

Favorite!Physical! Activity!

What!makes!me! happy!

What!upsets!me!

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Session(4:(Stereotypes(and(Ageism(( ( Introduction( People!of!all!ages!commonly!hold!negative!attitudes!about!aging.(This!lesson!introduces!the! study!of!aging!by!having!students!examine!their!own!stereotypes!about!older!people.!Students! think!about!their!own!grandparents!or!other!older!adults!in!their!lives.!Finally,!they!consider!the! similarities!between!the!lives!of!teenagers!and!the!lives!of!older!people.! ! Objectives( Students!will:! ! reotyped! ! ! ! ! Materials( Handout:!Life!Changes!P!Similarities!between!Young!and!Old! ( Key(Terms( stereotype,!ageism,!prejudice,!discrimination! ( Lesson(Steps( 1. Draw!a!large!circle!on!the!board!with!the!word!teenagers%in!the!center.!Draw!lines! coming!from!the!outside!of!the!circle.!(The!use!of!circles!generally!elicits!more!varied! responses!than!simple!lists.! 2. Ask!the!class:!“When!you!hear,!see!or!think!the!word!teenagers,%what!other!words! come!to!mind?”!Write!the!word!associations!on!the!lines!around!the!circle!as!students! respond!out!loud.%Common!word!associations!are:!wild,!silly,!fun!seeking,!active,!crazy! and!inexperienced.! 3. After!two!or!three!minutes!of!word!associations,!discuss!the!following:! P!What!do!you!notice!about!attitudes!toward!young!people?! P!In!what!situations!have!you!felt!people!prejudge!you!because!of!your!age?! P!How!have!negative!attitudes!affected!how!you!feel!or!what!you!do?! P!How!have!positive!attitudes!about!young!people!helped!you?! 4. Introduce!the!concept!of!ageism!–!a!form!of!discrimination!that!relegates!people!to!an! inferior!or!limited!position!simply!because!of!age.!Discussion:!have!you!ever! experienced!or!known!anyone!who!experienced!prejudice!or!discrimination!based!on! age?!(Possible!occasions!for!age!discrimination!are!when!applying!for!a!job,!renting!an! apartment,!or!trying!to!participate!in!an!activity!intended!for!another!age!group.)! 5. Repeat!the!circle!association!in!step!1!–!only!this!time!use!the!word!old!instead!of! teenagers.!Common!word!associations!are!lonely,!sick,!retired,!weak,!depressing,!wise,! gray!and!wrinkled.! 22! !

6. After!two!or!three!minutes!of!word!associations,!discuss!attitudes!toward!older!people.! What!kind!of!negative!and!positive!connotations!does!the!word!old%have?! 7. TenPminute!free!write!on!the!following!questions:!! P!How!do!you!perceive!your!grandparents?! P!Do!they!fit!the!stereotypes!listed!on!the!board?! P!How!do!your!grandparents!perceive!you?! P!Do!you!fit!the!stereotypes!listed!on!the!board?! ! NOTE:!Some!students!may!not!have!grandparents;!for!these!cases,!revise!the!questions,! e.g.,how!do!you!perceive!an!older!adult!you!know?!Ask!for!volunteers!to!share!what! they!wrote.! 8. Homework!assignment:!Review!the!handout!chart!“Life!Changes!P!Similarities!Between! Young!and!Old”.!Write!a!paragraph!summarizing!the!similarities.!Try!to!think!of!other! similarities!not!already!on!the!chart.! ! Extension(Activities( The!following!are!additional!questions!for!writing!assignments,!group!problemPsolving!activities! or!class!discussions.!! Discuss!how!ageism!differs!from!racism!and!sexism.!Point!out!that!we!will!never!know! what!it!is!like!to!be!a!different!gender!or!a!different!race.!We!hope,!however,!that!we! will!all!know!what!it!is!like!to!be!old.! Old!is!a!relative!measure!of!time,!yet!it!conveys!strong,!mostly!negative!impressions.! How!might!these!attitudes!about!old!affect!one's!attitudes!about!growing!old?!About! being!with!older!people?! How!might!negative!attitudes!about!aging!influence!public!policy,!health!careers!and! social!programs!for!older!people?! ! Source:!Ithaca!College!Gerontology!Institute!

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!! (Handout)!

Life(Changes(3(Similarities(Between(Young(and(Old( Younger!and!older!people!face!similar!social,!physical,!and!economic!pressures.! ! Category(( ( ( Teenagers/Young(Adults(( ( ( Older(Adults( ! ! ! Transportation!!! ! Getting!permission!to!drive;!! ! ! Told!they!should!not!drive;! ( Higher!insurance!rates!! ! ! ! Higher!insurance!rates! ( ( ! Work!! ! ! Told!they!are!too!young,!! ! ! Told!they!are!too!old,! too!inexperienced!! ! ! ! too!experienced,!unfamiliar! ( with!new!technology! ( ( Companionship!! ! Single;!dating!issues!! ! ! ! Single!(widowed);!dating!!!! ( ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Issues! ( ! ( ! Income!! ! ! LowPpaying!jobs!! ! ! ! No!income!from!earnings! ( ! Sex!!( ! ! ! Told!they!are!too!young!! ! ! Told!they!are!too!old! ( ! ( ! Drugs!! ! ! Use!of!“recreational”!drugs!! ! ! Misuse!of!prescription!or! over!the!counter!drugs! ! ! ! Housing!! ! ! Moving!away!from!home;!! ! ! Moving!to!smaller!place;! ! Have!to!live!with!parents!for!! ! Have!to!live!with!adult!! ! economic!reasons! ! children!economic!reasons!! ! and!health!reasons! ! ! ! ! ! Friends!! ! ! Friends!moving!away!! ! ! ! Friends!moving!away!or!dying! ! ! ! Dependency!! ! ! Parents!tell!them!what!to!do!! ! ! Adult!children!tell!them!what!! ! to!do! ! ! Aging!! ! ! Physical!changes!related!to!age!!! ! Physical!changes!related!to!! ! ! age! ! ! ! ! Emotions!! ! ! Occasional!depression,!feelings!of!! ! Occasional!depression,!! ! hopelessness,!! ! ! ! ! feelings!of!hopelessness! ! ! ! ! Time!! ! ! Try!to!find!meaningful!ways!to!use!! ! Try!to!find!meaningful!ways!to!! ! time!during!school!years!! ! use!time!during!! ! retirement!years! ! ! ! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Source:!Couper,!D.!and!Pratt,!F.,!Learning%for%Longer%Life,%National!Academy!for!Teaching!and!Learning!about!Aging,!1999.!

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Session(5:(Building(Awareness(to(Aging(Issues3A(Sensory(Experience( Instructions:!This!activity!provides!students!with!a!sensory!simulation!to!better!help!them! understand!some!of!the!physical!struggles!that!elderly!people!encounter!that!are!typically! overlooked!by!younger!generations.!! Preparation:(( 1.) Sensory!Kits!(1!per!each!teams!of!2P5):!Each!Sensory!Kit!should!include!the!following! materialsP!

Sunglasses!smeared!with!Vaseline!

Prescription!bottle!containing!dried!beans!(pretend!pills)!

Pair!of!latex/rubber!gloves!

2!Cotton!balls!(used!cotton!balls!should!be!thrown!away!and!replaced!at!the!end!of! class).!

Page!copied!from!phone!book!

Other(Materials(Needed:!Black/whiteboard!or!flip!chart!and!markers.! Directions(for(Activity:( 1. Distribute!Sensory!Kits:!! 2. Introduce!this!section!by!giving!a!brief!overview!of!what!will!occur:!Students!will! experience!what!it!is!like!to!be!an!older!adult.!They!will!experience!aspects!of!the!aging! process,!including!sight,!touch/dexterity!and!hearing.! 3. Give!following!instructions!to!students:!

Put!on!gloves!(Tell!students!this!simulates!the!decreased!sensation!of!touch!and! dexterity.)!

With!the!gloves!on,!put!cotton!balls!in!ears!(This!simulates!decreased!hearing)!

Next!put!on!sunglasses!(these!have!already!been!smeared!with!Vaseline)%(This! simulates!vision!problems!such!as!cataracts,!macular!degeneration,!glaucoma,!etc.)!

Now!instruct!students!to:! 25!

1. Open!Prescription!Container!and!take!out!one!“pill”!or!button.!(tell!students!that! they!should!not!just!dump!them!on!the!table,!but!instead!try!to!use!gloved!finger! to!get!pill!out.(Speak!these!directions!softly!while!turning!away!from!students!as! your!finish!–!all!while!talking!fast!!–!this!will!frustrate!the!students,!but!simulates! the!difficulty!seniors!have!with!hearing).! 2. Take!out!your!cell!phone.!(If!a!student!doesn’t!have!one,!they!can!share!with! other!students).!Look!at!the!page!copied!from!the!phone!book.!(Do! NOT!take!off!the!glasses!or!gloves!)!Find!the!phone!number!for!Lee’s( Fitness(Center.!Dial!the!number!but!do!NOT(press!send!! ! Discussion(Points:( Certainly,!not!every!senior!has!impairment!in!every!sense,!but!the!natural! aging!process!does!bring!about!changes!in!eyesight,!hearing,!and!dexterity.!Ask!the! students!how!they!felt!doing!these!tasks.!! Did!this!change!how!they!viewed!elders?!How?! (Examples!might!include!1.)!now!they!understand!why!small!writing!is!so!frustrating!to! their!grandparents;!or!2.)!why!it!is!now!more!understandable!how!an!elder!in!line!at!the! grocery!store!may!struggle!with!getting!coins!out!of!their!wallets,!or!3.)!why!students! must!articulate!and!speak!clearly!to!their!elderly!next!door!neighbor.! Are!there!other!challenges!that!you!think!elderly!people!might!encounter!in!addition!to! the!ones!simulated!in!this!activity?!! How!might!you!go!about!being!more!empathetic!to!these!types!of!struggles!that!they! face?! ! Closing:! Distribute!the!Guidelines!for!Interaction!with!Older!Adults!(next!page).!Indicate!that!these! guidelines!will!provide!students!with!tips!for!interaction!with!older!adults.!Briefly!point!out!that! these!guidelines!encompass!the!sensory!exercises!students!earlier!experienced.!Take!a!moment! to!summarize!the!guidelines!and!encourage!students!to!review!then!in!detail!on!their!own.! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Source:!Manchester!Regional!Area!Committee!on!Aging! ! ! ! ! ! ! 26! !

!! Handout:!Phone!Book!Page!for!Building!Awareness!to!Aging!IssuesPA!Sensory!Experience!

27! !

!! (Handout)!!

( Guidelines(for(Interaction(with(Older(Adults( Aging!is!a!normal!process!and!certain!physical!changes!occur!in!everyone!as!they!age.!We!need! to!be!aware!of!these!changes!in!order!to!treat!older!adults!in!a!respectful!way.! ! ! SIGHT( ! Sight!may!be!affected!as!a!result!of!decreased!elasticity!and!increased!cloudiness!of!the!lens!in!the!eye.!These!changes!cause:! ( Increased!sensitivity!to!glare.! ( Increased!need!for!illumination!and!contrast.! Decreased!adaptability!to!changes!in!light.! ( Altered!color!vision!(decreased!!! !!!! ( ability!to!distinguish!blue!and!! !!!!! ( green).! Example:( ( Older!adults!may!have!difficulty!with!parking!in!a!public!parking!garage!and/or!finding!their!cars!because!of!the!drastic!change!in!light.! Approach:( ( A!person!who!enters!a!building!from!the!sunlight!outdoors!needs!time!for!his/her!eyes!to!adjust!to!the!differences!in!light.!Be!sensitive!to!these! ( needs!and!allow!the!older!adult!time!to!adjust.!Approach!the!person!in!a!friendly!and!courteous!manner.!Smile!and!make!eye!contact!with!the! ( person.!Be!patient.! ! ( HEARING( ! ( As!people!age,!a!variety!of!physical!changes!can!occur!in!the!auditory!(hearing)!system!which!can!result!in!hearing!loss!and/or!inability!to! ! ( understand!speech.!There!may!be!a!decreased!sensitivity!to!highPpitched!sounds,!causing!distortions!of!what!is!heard.! ! Example:(( The!sounds!most!affected!are!s,!t,!th,!ch,!sh,!c!and!k.!Therefore,!"The!next!test!is!a!chest!xPray,"may!sound!likeP!"Pe!nePP!IP!a!PPePP!Pray."! ( Approach:( ( Face!the!person!when!speaking!to!him/her.!Speak!directly!to!the!person.!Speak!slowly,!clearly!and!distinctly!but!not!necessarily!louder.!If!you! ( have!a!highPpitched!voice,!lower!the!pitch.!Give!directions!clearly.!Have!the!person!repeat!your!message,!if!appropriate,!so!that!you!know!he/she! understands.!Eliminate!background!noise!whenever!possible.! ( ! TOUCH( ( ( Older!adults!may!experience!a!loss!of!sensation!on!the!palms!of!their!hands!and/or!soles!of!their!feet!due!to!impaired!circulation.!Loss!of! sensation!causes!a!reduced!ability!to!perceive!hot,!cold,!vibration!and!pressure.!A!higher!threshold!of!a!sensation!is!required! ( in!order!to!perceive!hot,!cold,!vibration!and!pressure.! Example:(( ( The!lack!of!w\sensation!on!the!palms!of!their!hands!may!cause!reduced!satisfaction!in!a!handshake.! Approach:( ( When!shaking!hands!with!the!older!adult,!increase!the!degree!of!sensation!by!using!both!of!your!hands.!Use!one!hand!to!grasp!the!older!adult’s! ( hand!in!the!usual!handshake!manner!and!the!other!to!rest!firmly!on!the!top!of!his/her!hand.! ( ! ( MOBILITY( Changes!occur!as!a!result!of!gravity.!Muscles!become!smaller,!joints!begin!to!wear!and!the!space!between!the!vertebrae!decreases.!All!of!these! ( changes!and!a!gradual!loss!of!calcium!levels!may!create:! ( Posture!changes! ( Height!reductions! ( Shortened!and!more!cautious!(slow)!gait! Example:(( An!older!adult!will!take!more!time!getting!in!and!out!of!chairs,!and!on!and!off!an!elevator.! ( Approach:( Be!sensitive!to!the!person’s!feelings!and/or!physical!needs.!Offer!appropriate!help!to!persons!with!physical!limitations.!Do!not!appear!rushed.! ( Take!the!time!necessary!to!make!sure!the!person!is!comfortable!with!the!assistance!you!have!offered.!If!the!person!requires!further!help,!seek! ( appropriate!personnel.! ( !

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Session(6:(Images(of(Aging(( ( Description:(Students!analyze!and!compare!images!of!aging!in!literature,!film,!or!art.! ! Ideas(for(Matching(to(Existing(Curriculum:! Enhance!a!social!studies!unit!on!relationships!between!different!groups!in!our!society,! discrimination!or!stereotyping.! Develop!a!theme!for!an!art!project.!! Complement!a!writing!project!on!aging.! ! Ideas(for(Learning(Objectives:! Understand!the!concept!of!ageism.! Reflect!on!how!older!people!feel!about!their!place!in!society.! Explore!a!variety!of!experiences!with!aging.! Understand!the!diversity!of!older!people.! ! Preparation:! Teacher!selects!reading,!art!work!or!articles!from!the!media!for!students!to!review.!!Teacher! develops!guidelines!for!any!academic!assignments!related!to!this!activity.!!If!the!assignment!is! based!on!reading,!students!complete!reading!before!the!activity!begins.! !

Instructions:! Students!review!the!selected!materials!and!develop!a!list!of!words!or!phrases!that!describe!how! older!people!are!portrayed!in!the!assigned!material.!Students!identify!positive!and!negative! “images.”!Students!compare!these!images!with!the!real!older!people!they!know.!The!class!then! discusses!how!images!can!carry!a!negative!influence!(stereotyping,!ageism)!or!a!positive! influence!(celebrating!older!people)!and!explore!examples.! !

Options:! Prepare!art!project!that!focuses!on!a!variety!of!realistic!images!of!older!people!that!can!be! displayed!in!the!classroom!or!school.!Analyze!images!in!the!media!(news!and!magazines)!and! identify!which!images!seem!to!be!more!common.!Suggest!how!the!media!can!present!a!more! realistic,!balanced!portrayal!of!older!people.( From:!An!Intergenerational!Experience:!Learning!Across!the!Ages,!a!Toolkit!for!Educators!

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Session(7:(Article(Discussion( ( One!of!the!best!ways!to!get!people!invested!in!pressing!community!issues!is!to!get!them! thinking!and!talking!about!it.!We!have!provided!you!with!two!recent!newspaper!articles!that! are!related!to!the!issue!area!of!senior(services.!Please!look!through!these!articles,!distribute! them!to!your!group,!and!facilitate!a!discussion!with!them!to!help!give!students!a!greater! understanding!of!these!issues!before!they!start!their!volunteer!experience.!! ( Directions:(Assign!half!of!your!group!to!read!one!article,!and!the!other!half!to!read!the!second.! Facilitate!a!discussion!between!both!groups!about!their!thoughts!and!feelings!regarding!these! articles.!Start!by!asking!each!group!to!summarize!what!they!read!and!what!their!initial!thoughts! were!about!the!article.!Try!and!encourage!a!freePflowing!conversation,!if!possible,!but!if! discussion!is!proving!to!be!slow,!some!additional!questions!are!below!to!help!conversation!get! started.!! ! Questions!for:%In%‘Sweetie%and%‘Dear,’%a%Hurt%for%the%Elderly:! ! Was!there!anything!that!surprised!you!or!caught!your!interest!as!you!were!reading!this! article?!! ! Could!you!quickly!define!the!term‚!elderspeak!for!those!who!didn’t!read!your!article?! Has!anyone!ever!witnessed!it?!What!happened?!! ! Imagine!a!time!when!you!thought!you!were!being!treated!younger!than!your!age.!How! did!you!react?!How!do!you!think!it!would!feel!to!someone!who!has!already!lived!a!full! adult!life!to!be!treated!like!a!child?!! ! Speaking!in!elderspeak!goes!hand!in!hand!with!the!issue!of!ageism!–!a!discrimination! against!people!based!on!age.!Have!you!been!discriminated!against!because!of!your! ages?!What!are!some!things!you!have!heard!people!say!about!teenagers!that!are!not! true?!! ! ! ! Questions!for!Few%Friends%Combined%with%Loneliness%Linked%To%Poor%Mental,%Physical%Health%for% Elderly:%% ! Was!there!anything!that!surprised!you!or!caught!your!interest!as!you!were!reading!this! article?!! ! After!reading!this!article,!why!do!you!think!feeling!lonely!can!so!easily!affect!people’s! mental!and!physical!heath?!! 30! !

How!do!you!think!loneliness!can!affect!a!group!of!senior!citizens!who!live!in!single! bedroom!or!studio!apartments,!especially!if!their!complex!doesn’t!have!many!planned! group!activities?!!

The!article!mentions!that!as!many!people!grow!older,!their!circles!of!family!and!friends! tend!to!shrink.!How!do!you!think!that!might!affect!their!perspectives!on!relationships?!!

! Questions!to!put!the!articles!together:!! ! Part!of!a!potential!service!project!could!involve!setting!up!a!fun!social!activity!for!the! residents!at!a!senior!residency.!From!reading!these!articles,!why!are!setting!up!social! events!important?!! ! What!are!some!important!things!you!have!learned!from!these!articles!that!would!be! useful!to!keep!in!mind!while!working!with!seniors?!! !

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Aging(Article(#1(:!Few!Friends!Combined!with!Loneliness!Linked!to!Poor!Mental,!Physical! Health!for!Elderly!! (Found!at!seniorjournal.com)!! !

National!study!first!to!identify!links!for!two!different!types!of!isolation!among!senior!citizens.!! ! March!18,!2009!P!Although!not!having!many!close!friends!contributes!to!poorer!health!for!many! older!adults,!those!who!also!feel!lonely!face!even!greater!health!risks,!research!at!the! University!of!Chicago!suggests.!Older!people!who!are!able!to!adjust!to!being!alone!don't!have! the!same!health!problems.!! ! The!study!is!the!first!to!examine!the!relationships!between!health!and!two!different!types!of! isolation.!Researchers!measured!the!degree!to!which!older!adults!are!socially!connected!and! socially!active.!They!also!assessed!whether!older!adults!feel!lonely!and!whether!they!expect! that!friends!and!family!would!help!them!in!times!of!need.!! ! "Social!disconnectedness!is!associated!with!worse!physical!health,!regardless!of!whether!it! prompts!feelings!of!loneliness!or!a!perceived!lack!of!social!support,"!said!study!coPauthor!Linda! Waite,!the!Lucy!Flower!Professor!in!Sociology!at!the!University!of!Chicago!and!a!leading!expert! on!aging.!! ! However,!the!researchers!found!a!different!relationship!between!social!isolation!and!mental! health.!"The!relationship!between!social!disconnectedness!and!mental!health!appears!to! operate!through!feelings!of!loneliness!and!a!perceived!lack!of!social!support,"!Waite!explained.!! Older!adults!who!feel!most!isolated!report!65!percent!more!depressive!symptoms!than!those! who!feel!least!isolated,!regardless!of!their!actual!levels!of!connectedness.!The!consequences!of! poor!mental!health!can!be!substantial,!as!deteriorating!mental!health!also!reduces!people's! willingness!to!exercise!and!may!increase!healthPrisk!behaviors!such!as!cigarette!smoking!and! alcohol!use,!Waite!explained.!! ! Among!the!study's!findings:!! ! o!The!most!socially!connected!older!adults!are!three!times!as!likely!to!report!very!good!or! excellent!health!compared!to!those!who!are!least!connected,!regardless!of!whether!they!feel! isolated.!! ! Older!adults!who!feel!least!isolated!are!five!times!as!likely!to!report!very!good!or! excellent!health!as!those!who!feel!most!isolated,!regardless!of!their!actual!level!of!social! connectedness.!! ! Social!disconnectedness!is!not!related!to!mental!health!unless!it!brings!feelings!of! loneliness!and!isolation.!! !! 32! !

Older!adults!who!are!able!to!withstand!socially!isolating!circumstances!or!adjust!their! expectations!so!they!do!not!develop!strong!feelings!of!loneliness!may!fare!better,!the!study! suggests.!"We!need!to!better!understand!how!older!adults!adapt!to!changes!in!their!social! relationships,"!Waite!added.!! ! The!work!is!reported!in!the!article,!"Social!Disconnectedness,!Perceived!Isolation!and!Health! Among!Older!Adults,"!published!in!the!March!issue!of!the!Journal!of!Health!and!Social!Behavior,! a!quarterly!journal!of!the!American!Sociological!Association.!Waite!conducted!the!study!with! lead!author!Erin!York!Cornwell,!a!Postdoctoral!Associate!in!Sociology!at!Cornell!University!who! completed!her!Ph.D.!in!Sociology!at!Chicago!in!2008.!! ! For!their!research,!the!scholars!examined!the!results!of!the!National!Social!Life,!Health!and! Aging!Project,!a!nationally!representative!study!of!older!adults!supported!by!the!National! Institute!on!Aging.!The!study,!a!comprehensive!look!at!aging!and!health,!included!interviews! with!about!3,000!people!aged!57!to!85!between!2005!and!2006.!! ! Because!of!the!size!of!the!survey,!the!scholars!were!able!to!consider!in!detail!older!adults'!social! networks,!their!participation!in!social!activities,!their!feelings!of!loneliness!and!their! perceptions!of!the!availability!of!help!or!advice!from!friends!and!family!members.!They!also! asked!questions!about!physical!health,!mental!health!and!feelings!of!sadness!or!depression.!! The!work!should!help!policymakers!develop!programs!to!compensate!for!the!problems!brought! on!by!social!disconnectedness!and!loneliness!among!older!people.!! ! Aging!often!brings!changes!in!social!relationships!as!individuals!retire,!take!up!new!activities,! endure!losses!and!experience!health!changes,!the!authors!said.!! ! "For!some!older!adults,!a!shrinking!circle!of!friends!and!family!can!lead!to!feelings!of!loneliness! or!isolation.!Our!findings!suggest!that!those!who!adapt!to!losses!so!that!they!don't!feel!isolated! fare!better!with!respect!to!both!physical!and!mental!health,"!Cornwell!explained.!! !

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Aging(Article(#2:(In!‘Sweetie’!and!‘Dear,’!a!Hurt!for!the!Elderly(! By!JOHN!LELAND,!October!7,!2008!!

! Professionals!call!it!elderspeak,!the!sweetly!belittling!form!of!address!that!has!always!rankled! older!people:!the!doctor!who!talks!to!their!child!rather!than!to!them!about!their!health;!the! store!clerk!who!assumes!that!an!older!person!does!not!know!how!to!work!a!computer,!or! needs!to!be!addressed!slowly!or!in!a!loud!voice.!! ! Then!there!are!those!who!address!any!elderly!person!as!“dear.”!! “People!think!they’re!being!nice,”!said!Elvira!Nagle,!83,!of!Dublin,!Calif.,!“but!when!I!hear!it,!it! raises!my!hackles.”! ! Now!studies!are!finding!that!the!insults!can!have!health!consequences,!especially!if!people! mutely!accept!the!attitudes!behind!them,!said!Becca!Levy,!an!associate!professor!of! epidemiology!and!psychology!at!Yale!University,!who!studies!the!health!effects!of!such! messages!on!elderly!people.!! ! “Those!little!insults!can!lead!to!more!negative!images!of!aging,!and!those!who!have!more! negative!images!of!aging!have!worse!functional!health!over!time,!including!lower!rates!of! survival,”!reports!Levy.!!! ! In!a!longPterm!survey!of!660!people!over!age!50!in!a!small!Ohio!town,!published!in!2002,!Dr.! Levy!and!her!fellow!researchers!found!that!those!who!had!positive!perceptions!of!aging!lived!an! average!of!7.5!years!longer,!a!bigger!increase!than!that!associated!with!exercising!or!not! smoking.!The!findings!held!up!even!when!the!researchers!controlled!for!differences!in!the! participants’!health!conditions.!! ! In!her!forthcoming!study,!Dr.!Levy!found!that!older!people!exposed!to!negative!images!of!aging,! including!words!like!“forgetful‚”!“feeble,”!and!“shaky,”!performed!significantly!worse!on! memory!and!balance!tests.!In!previous!experiments,!they!also!showed!higher!levels!of!stress.!! ! “Despite!such!research,!the!worst!offenders!are!often!health!care!workers,”!says!Kristine! Williams,!a!nurse!gerontologist!and!associate!professor!at!the!University!of!Kansas!School!of! Nursing.!! ! To!study!the!effects!of!elderspeak!on!people!with!mild!to!moderate!dementia,!Dr.!Williams!and! a!team!of!researchers!videotaped!interactions!in!a!nursing!home!between!20!residents!and! staff!members.!They!found!that!when!nurses!used!phrases!like!“good!girl”!or!“How!are!we! feeling?”!patients!were!more!aggressive!and!less!cooperative!or!receptive!to!care.!If!addressed! as!infants,!some!showed!their!irritation!by!grimacing,!screaming!or!refusing!to!do!what!staff! members!asked!of!them.!! ! 34! !

The!researchers,!who!will!publish!their!findings!in!The%American%Journal%of%Alzheimer’s%Disease% and%Other%Dementias,!concluded!that!elderspeak!sent!a!message!that!the!patient!was! incompetent!and!begins!a!negative!downward!spiral!for!older!persons,!who!react!with! decreased!selfPesteem,!depression,!withdrawal!and!the!assumption!of!dependent!behaviors.! Dr.!Williams!said!health!care!workers!often!thought!that!using!words!like!“dear”!or!“sweetie”! conveyed!that!they!cared!and!made!them!easier!to!understand!but!they!don’t!realize!the! implications.!She!said!that!it’s!also!giving!messages!to!older!adults!that!they’re!incompetent.! ! “The!main!task!for!a!person!with!Alzheimer’s!is!to!maintain!a!sense!of!self!or!personhood,”!Dr.! Williams!said,!“if!you!know!you’re!losing!your!cognitive!abilities!and!trying!to!maintain!your! personhood,!and!someone!talks!to!you!like!a!baby,!it’s!upsetting!to!you.”! ! She!added!that!patients!who!reacted!aggressively!against!elderspeak!might!receive!less!care.!! For!people!without!cognitive!problems,!elderspeak!can!sometimes!make!them!livid.!! ! When!Sarah!Plummer’s!pharmacy!changed!her!monthly!prescription!for!cancer!drugs!from!a! vial!to!a!contraption!she!could!not!open,!the!pharmacist!explained!that!the!packaging!was! intended!to!help!her!remember!her!daily!dose.!! ! “I!exploded,”!Ms.!Plummer!wrote!to!a!New%York%Times!blog,!“The!New!Old!Age,”!which!asked! readers!about!how!they!were!treated!in!their!daily!life.!! ! “Who!says!I!don’t!take!my!medicine!as!prescribed?”!wrote!Ms.!Plummer,!61,!who!lives!in! Champaign,!Ill.!“I!am!alive!right!now!because!I!take!these!pills!!What!am!I!supposed!to!do?!Hold! it!with!vice!grips!and!cut!it!with!a!hack!saw?”!She!added,!“I!believed!my!dignity!and!integrity! were!being!assaulted.”! ! “Health!care!workers!are!often!not!trained!to!avoid!elderspeak,”!said!Vicki!Rosebrook,!the! executive!director!of!the!Macklin!Intergenerational!Institute!in!Findlay,!Ohio,!a!combined! facility!for!elderly!people!and!children!that!is!part!of!a!retirement!community.!! ! Dr.!Rosebrook!said!that!even!in!her!facility,!“We!have!300!elders!who!are!‘sweetie’d’!here.!Our! kids!talk!to!elders!with!more!respect!than!some!of!our!professional!care!providers.”! ! She!said!she!considered!elderspeak!a!form!of!bullying.!!“It’s!talking!down!to!them,”!she!said.! “We!do!it!to!children!so!well.!And!it’s!natural!for!the!sandwich!generation,!since!they!address! children!that!way.”! ! Not!all!older!people!object!to!being!called!sweetie!or!dear,!and!some,!like!Jan!Rowell,!61,!of! West!Linn,!Ore.,!say!they!appreciate!the!underlying!warmth.!“We’re!all!reaching!across!the! chasm,”!Ms.!Rowell!said.!“If!someone!calls!us!sweetie!or!honey,!it’s!not!diminishing!us;!it’s!just! their!way!to!connect,!in!a!positive!way.”!She!added,!“What!would!reinforce!negative! 35! !

stereotypes!is!the!idea!that!old!people!are!filled!with!pet!peeves,!taking!offense!at!innocent! attempts!to!be!friendly.”! ! But!Ellen!Kirschman,!68,!a!police!psychologist!in!Northern!California,!said!she!objected!to! people!calling!her!“young!lady,”!which!she!called!“mocking!and!disingenuous.”!She!added,! “As!I!get!older,!I!don’t!want!to!be!recognized!for!my!age.!I!want!to!be!recognized!for!my! accomplishments,!for!my!wisdom.”! ! To!avoid!stereotyping,!Ms.!Kirschman!said!she!often!sprinkles!her!conversation!with!profanities! when!she!is!among!people!who!do!not!know!her,!“that!makes!them!think,!this!is!someone!to!be! reckoned!with.!!A!little!sharpness!seems!to!help.”! ! Bea!Howard,!77,!a!retired!teacher!in!Berkeley,!Calif.,!said!she!objected!less!to!the!ways!people! addressed!her!than!to!their!ignoring!her!altogether.!At!recent!meals!with!a!younger!friend,!Ms.! Howard!said,!the!restaurant’s!staff!spoke!only!to!the!friend:! ! They%ask%my%friend,%‘How%are%you;%how%are%you%feeling?’%just%turning%on%the%charm%to%my% partner.%Then%they%ask%for%my%order.%I%say,%‘I%feel%you’re%ignoring%me.%I’m%at%this%table,%too.’%And% they%immediately%deny%it.%They%say,%no,%not%at%all.%And%they%may%not%even%know%they’re%doing%it.% ! Dr.!Levy!of!Yale!said!that!even!among!professionals,!there!appeared!to!be!little!movement!to! reduce!elderspeak.!Words!like!‘dear’!have!a!life!of!their!own.!“It’s!harder!to!change!because! people!spend!so!much!of!their!lives!observing!it!without!having!a!stake!in!it,!not!realizing!it’s! belittling!to!call!someone!that.”! ! In!the!meantime,!people!who!are!offended!might!do!well!to!follow!the!advice!of!Warren!Cassell! of!Portland,!Ore.,!who!said!it!irritated!him!when!teenage!store!clerks!and!about!95!percent!of! the!rest!of!society!called!him!by!his!first!name.!! ! “It’s!the!faux!familiarity,”!said!Mr.!Cassell,!78.!But!he!mostly!shrugs!it!off,!he!said.!“I’m!irked!by! it,!but!I!can’t!think!about!it!that!much.!There!are!too!many!more!important!things!to!think! about.”( ! !

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Section(3:(Service(and(Action( !

This!section!provides!resources!on!key!issues!and!themes!affecting!the! elderly/aging!population.!Teachers!may!use!these!issues!as!starting! points!for!inquiry!into!potential!action!and!service!projects!for! development!with!their!students.!It!also!includes!service!and!action! project!vignettes!reflecting!intergenerational!experiences.! !

37! !

Issues(and(Themes(for(Inquiry( The!following!is!a!list!of!issues!and!suggested!ways!that!students!might!begin!the!inquiry! process!into!issues!related!to!the!elderly!and!aging!population.!Teachers!may!decide!to!focus! on!one!issue!or!a!series!of!issues!below!by!having!their!students!work!in!small!teams.!!Once!a! topic!has!been!assigned!to!each!team,!they!should!decide!how!to!investigate!the!topic.!! 1. Housing(Issues!–!students!should!investigate!various!types!of!assisted!living!centers!in!the! Chicagoland!area.!!Provide!a!starter!list!of!places!to!call!and!visit!if!possible!(see!resource! section).!!Students!should!bring!back!literature!and!pamphlets!for!other!students.!!Students! can!also!create!a!database!or!file!of!these!facilities.!!Students!should!compare!and!contrast! the!services!and!fees!offered!by!these!facilities!as!well!as!the!diverse!living!accommodations! available!to!seniors.!! 2. Social(Fun(Times!–!charge!your!second!group!of!students!with!the!task!of!!investigating! social!activities!available!to!senior!citizens!who!reside!in!their!own!homes!or!apartments.!! Ask!one!or!more!students!to!conduct!an!Internet!search!for!activities!through!the!Chicago! Park!District!or!Department!of!Aging.!!! 3. Classes(and(Lectures!–!Senior!citizens!are!as!diverse!as!our!youth.!!Senior!citizens!are! interested!in!many!different!kinds!of!classes.!!The!Chicago!Department!of!Aging!has!the! most!complete!guide!to!classes!and!lectures.!!They!also!offer!field!trips!for!seniors.!!Once! students!begin!to!develop!a!fairly!comprehensive!list!of!activities,!they!should!organize! them!into!a!database.!!In!addition!to!many!others,!students!are!likely!to!learn!about! lectures!on!depression,!living!wills,!travels!or!book!discussions.!!!Ask!your!students!to!go!to! one!senior!center!and!bring!back!some!of!the!handouts!that!are!available.!Handouts!range! from!dieting!to!understanding!labels.! 4. Organizations(that(Support(Senior(Citizens!–!Ask!this!student!group!to!conduct!a!survey!or! search!of!what!is!available!in!their!own!community!for!seniors.!!Offerings!might!include! discounts!for!going!to!the!movies!or!weekly!shopping!discounts.!!Stores!might!offer!special! incentives!for!seniors!such!as!free!coffee.!!Have!one!student!investigate!Senior!Olympics.!! Other!organizations!might!offer!citizenship!classes,!community!safety!meetings,!resources! and!support!for!Grandparents!as!caregivers,!energy!assistance,!home!maintenance! referrals,!and!support!classes!for!completing!forms!for!various!governmental!agencies.!!One! student!may!do!a!search!of!various!organizations!such!as!Catholic!Charities!or!the!Jewish! United!Fund!and!what!is!being!done!for!their!seniors!who!are!involved!with!these!religious! organizations.!!Have!one!student!investigate!social!security!and!its!role!for!senior!citizens.!! Have!one!student!do!a!search!of!publications!that!are!suited!for!seniors.!Have!that!student! bring!to!class!samples!of!magazines.! 5. Health(Support!V!This!group!of!students!could!start!by!calling!the!neighborhood!hospitals! and!inquiring!about!network!support!for!seniors!in!their!neighborhoods!and!in!their!homes.!! What!is!a!visiting!nurse!and!who!is!entitled!to!the!services!of!one?!!What!clinics!are! available!and!what!do!senior!citizens!pay!for!these!services?!!One!student!might!call! Walgreens!and!do!an!Internet!search!about!five!of!the!most!common!drugs!that!senior! 38! !

citizens!take!and!how!they!vary!in!price.!!Meal!on!Wheels!might!send!in!a!guest!speaker!to! the!group!of!students.! 6. Social(IssuesBThis!group!of!students!could!research!some!of!the!social!issues!affecting!elder! populations,!such!as!discrimination!or!isolation/loneliness.!This!might!begin!with!exploring! statistics!in!local,!regional,!and!national!databases!as!well!as!contacting!advocacy! organizations!in!Chicago!that!support!the!elderly!population!such!as!the!Chicago! Department!on!Aging!or!the!Agency!on!Aging.!!Students!may!invite!speakers!from!these! agencies!to!come!and!speak!with!the!class!about!the!issues!that!seniors!faces,!social!policies! for!the!elderly!population,!or!current!campaigns!that!students!could!participate!in!as!part!of! building!awareness!and!advocating!on!behalf!of!rights!for!senior!citizens.!! 7. Intercultural(Elderly(AwarenessBStudents!may!investigate!how!elderly!people!are!perceived! in!different!cultures!and!societies!around!the!world.!They!may!contact!local!cultural!and! community!organizations!such!as!the!Korean!American!Community!Services!Organization,! that!have!initiatives!for!the!elderly!and!invite!in!a!panel!of!speakers!from!the!departments! of!these!different!organizations!to!talk!about!the!cultural/social!dimension!of!the!elderly.! (i.e.!how!is!it!different!to!be!a!Korean!American!elder!coming!from!Korea!to!the!United! States).!! ! At!the!end!of!the!inquiry!process,!ask!each!student!group!to!report!its!findings.!!The!knowledge! gained!by!the!whole!group!will!be!impressive!and!provide!good!preparation!for!a!service! project.!! During!the!inquiry!process,!you!can!continue!to!engage!students!in!learning!about!senior! citizens!by!facilitating!the!following!activities.!!

39! !

Service(Project(Ideas( The!following!examples!of!service!project!ideas!represent!just!a!few!of!the!dozens!of!potential! projects!that!have!been!completed!successfully!in!Chicago.!!Brainstorm!with!your!students,! colleagues!and!organizations!that!serve!senior!citizens!for!additional!project!ideas.!! Elderly!immigrants!face!particular!obstacles!in!their!quest!for!United!States!citizenship.! Students!can!provide!free!volunteer!service!in!a!number!of!locations!throughout!the!city,! helping!immigrant!seniors!to!overcome!the!economic!and!mobility!barriers!they!experience! in!meeting!their!goals.!!Projects!could!include!language!support,!preparation!for!citizenship! exams,!companionship,!etc.!! Students!could!work!with!a!local!library!or!senior!citizen!center!to!teach!senior!citizens! computer!skills.! Students!plan!and!develop!a!“senior!citizen!prom”!in!collaboration!with!a!local!senior!citizen! center.!!Students!interview!the!senior!citizens!prior!to!the!prom!to!identify!the!kinds!of! music!and!themes!that!would!be!appropriate!for!the!prom.! Students!interview!staff!of!a!senior!citizen!center!to!determine!a!project!that!would!meet! the!needs!of!seniors!in!the!building.! Students!partner!with!senior!citizens!to!develop!an!intergenerational!writing!project!and! share!the!project!the!school!or!local!community.! Students!collaborate!with!a!senior!citizen!center!to!plan!a!“physical!fitness”!day!for!senior! citizens.! Collect!oral!histories!from!seniors!that!correspond!to!a!unit!of!study!in!a!history!class!or!a! literary!theme!in!an!English!class.!!Compile!the!histories!and!present!them!at!a!local!library! or!community!organization!that!serves!senior!citizens.!! Create!oral!history!projects!and!document!them!with!the!Veterans!History!Project.!This! organization!collects!firstVperson!accounts!of!military!service!in!World!War!I,!World!War!II,! the!Korean,!Vietnam,!Persian!Gulf,!Afghanistan,!and!Iraq!Wars.!You!can!register!and!find!a! complete!guide!to!facilitating!this!project!with!students!at:!www.loc.gov/vets.!As!an! additional!point!of!inquiry,!students!may!consider!the!level!of!female!voice!that!is! represented!in!wartime!narratives.!They!might!also!interview!women!in!nursing!homes!to! learn!about!the!roles!that!they!assumed!during!wartime!and!the!unexpected!effects!that! the!war!had!on!their!lives.!! Quality!of!care!is!sometimes!compromised!in!nursing!homes.!After!visiting!senior!residency! centers,!students!might!assess!the!facility’s!standards!of!cleanliness,!as!well!as!the!level!of! care!that!seniors!are!receiving.!Students!could!research!state!regulations!and!debate!how! they!are!interpreted,!based!on!their!observations!at!the!residency!center.!They!could! develop!letters!which!highlight!their!concerns!and!suggest!ways!that!they!could!provide! assistance!to!the!facility.!As!a!further!step!they!may!also!consider!inquiring!with!the!state! licensing!agency!on!alternative!steps!of!action!that!they!could!take!to!address!their! concerns.!! An!“American!Experience”!project!may!be!a!platform!for!students!to!record!histories!of! people!living!in!a!school’s!community.!Teachers!may!partner!with!a!local!neighborhood! 40! !

association!to!identify!elderly!people!who!have!continually!lived!in!the!community!for!most! of!their!lives.!!They!might!bring!in!a!local!news!reporter!to!teach!them!interviewing!skills.! They!could!then!collect!oral!histories!that!reflected!the!community!life!in!those!decades!by! interviewing!these!individuals.!Students!could!transcribe!the!interviews!and!share!copies! with!both!participants!and!the!local!neighborhood!organization!for!their!archives.!!

41! !

Section(4:(Intergenerational(Activities( This!section!contains!activities!that!teachers!may!use!when!engaging!students!with!elderly.! Sessions!497!place!particular!emphasis!on!Intergenerational!Activities!from!a!Cultural! Perspective.!!While!some!activities!specifically!denote!intergenerational!work!within!Native! American!cultures,"they!can!be!adapted!to!experiences!with!other!cultural!groups.!Please! contact!the!Office!of!Service9Learning!for!more!resources!on!the!cultural!component!of! intergenerational!work.!!

Session!1:!Cookbook!Project,!p.!43! Session!2:!Aging!as!an!Experience:!Elder!Panel!Discussion,!p.!44! Session!3:!Exploring!Diversity!Across!Ages,!p.!45! Session!4:!Aging!in!America,!A!Tapestry!of!Life,!p.!47! Session!5:!Concentric!Circles,!p.!51! Session!6:!Circle!of!Life,!p.!52! Session!7:!Good!Living,!p.!53! Session!8:!Discussions!and!Deliberation,!p.!55! !

42! !

Session(1:(Cookbook(Project( Description:(Students!gather!family!recipes!from!their!parents!or!grandparents!and!create!a! recipe!book.! ( Ideas(for(Matching(to(Existing(Curriculum:! Develop!writing!skills!or!computer!skills.! Complement!a!writing!project!on!aging!or!life!histories.! Enhance!a!culinary!course.! Enhance!a!social!studies!unit!on!culture.! ! Ideas(for(Learning(Objectives:! $ Reflect!on!the!life!experiences!of!older!people.! $ Develop!interviewing!skills.! $ Discover!culture!or!history!through!food.! $ Develop!artistic!skills.! ! Preparation:! $ Teacher!develops!instructions!for!the!recipe!book!project.! $ Senior!Center!asks!elders!to!select!a!memorable!family!recipe.! $ Students!select!a!traditional!family!recipe.! Instructions:! $ Students!and!elders!sit!at!tables!(at!least!one!elder!for!every!four!students).! $ Students!collect!or!write!down!recipes!of!elders.! $ Students!interview!elders!about!when!or!why!this!recipe!was!prepared,!exploring!family! memories.! $ Senior!center!representative!and!teacher!monitor!groups!to!make!sure!that!students! and!elders!are!interacting.! $ Students!prepare!a!creatively!decorated!cookbook!with!all!elder!and!student!recipes,! briefly!describing!the!meaning!of!each!recipe!and!profiling!of!each!elder!and!student.! $ Share!recipe!book!with!elders.! Options:! $ Prepare!recipes!together!at!school!or!senior!residency!! $ Sell!the!recipe!book!as!a!fundraiser.! ! ! Source:!Reprinted!with!the!permission!of!Little!Brothers9Friends!of!the!Elderly!from!their!book!"An! Intergenerational!Experience:!Learning!Across!Ages!9!A!Toolkit!for!educators"!copyrighted!and!published!in! 2008.!

43! !

Session(2:(Aging(as(an(Experience:(Elder(Panel(Discussion( ! Description:(Elders!are!invited!into!a!classroom!to!be!part!of!a!panel!discussion!about!the! experience!of!growing!older.!! ! Ideas(for(Matching(to(Existing(Curriculum:! $ Enhance!a!biology!unit!on!bodies.! $ Enhance!a!unit!on!human!development.! $ Enhance!a!social!studies!unit!on!stereotyping!or!group!relations.! $ Enhance!a!history!unit.! $ Complement!a!family!history!project.! $ Provide!inspiration!for!a!creative!writing!or!art!project.! ! Ideas(for(Learning(Objectives:! $ Demonstrate!that!people!of!different!ages!can!have!similar!experiences.! $ Explore!experiences!with!change!or!challenges!over!the!life!course.! $ Explore!the!concept!of!ageism.! $ Develop!listening!and!communication!skills.! ! Suggested(Orientation(Modules:! $ Aging!is!Change! $ Older!People!are!Diverse! $ Older!People!Can!Give! $ Working!with!Older!People!as!Partners! ! Preparation:! $ Teacher!provides!readings!related!to!the!assigned!curriculum!and!focus!of!the!unit.! $ Students!prepare!questions!to!ask!the!elders!(related!to!the!curriculum).! ! Instructions:! $ A!representative!from!the!senior!center!facilitates!a!panel!discussion!in!which!older! people!share!stories!about!what!it!is!like!to!grow!older!or!live!a!long!time.! $ Students!ask!questions!of!panel!members.! ! Options:! $ Teacher!and!students!identify!a!particular!experience!they!would!like!to!learn!about! from!older!people.! $ Students!offer!their!own!ideas!on!an!activity!with!the!elders!after!the!discussion.! ! ! Source:!Reprinted!with!the!permission!of!Little!Brothers9Friends!of!the!Elderly!from!their!book!"An!Intergenerational! Experience:!Learning!Across!Ages!9!A!Toolkit!for!educators"!copyrighted!and!published!in!2008.!

44! !

Session(3:(Exploring(Diversity(Across(Ages( ! Description:(Students!and!older!adults!explore!how!different!age!groups!can!be!diverse!by! sharing!life!histories.! ! Ideas(for(Matching(to(Existing(Curriculum:! $ Enhance!a!social!studies!unit!on!diversity,!ethnicity,!or!cultural!variation.! $ Enhance!a!history!course.! $ Enhance!a!course!on!human!development.! $ Provide!a!theme!for!a!writing!or!art!project.! ! Ideas(for(Learning(Objectives:! $ Understand!the!concepts!of!a!life!course!and!peer!group!(see!section!on!orienting! students/orientation!modules,!p.!13).! $ Understand!how!a!group!born!at!the!same!time!has!different!opportunities!and! experiences!over!a!lifetime.! $ Identify!the!factors!that!can!influence!an!age!group!to!become!more!different!from!one! another!as!they!grow!older.! $ Understand!the!effects!of!living!through!a!particular!historical!period!at!different!ages.! $ Demonstrate!that!people!of!different!ages!can!have!similar!experiences.! $ Develop!listening!and!communication!skills.! ! Preparation:! $ Teacher!prepares!guidelines!for!any!required!assignments.!! $ Students!prepare!a!brief!life!history!of!their!origins!(cultural!and!family!background)!and! turning!points!(one!or!two!important!events!that!have!affected!their!life!choices!or!life! opportunities).!! $ Students!share!their!life!histories!with!the!class;!class!discusses!the!sources!of!diversity.! $ Based!on!the!discussion,!students!prepare!questions!to!ask!the!elders!about!their!origins! and!turning!points.! ! Instructions:! $ Students!and!older!adults!sit!at!tables!of!four!or!six!(with!elder!and!student!pairs).! $ Students!share!their!life!history!with!their!older!partner.! $ Students!then!interview!their!older!partner!about!their!origins!and!turning!! $ points.!! $ Students!prepare!a!brief!life!history!of!their!older!partner!(during!or!after!the!activity).! $ Students!reflect!on!how!the!backgrounds!and!experiences!of!older!people!have!made! them!unique.! $ Class!discusses!the!sources!of!diversity!among!older!people!and!compares!this!to!! what!they!learned!about!diversity!among!their!classmates.! ( ( 45! !

Options:! $ Adapt!this!activity!to!focus!on!a!particular!historical!period!for!each!age!group.! $ Adapt!this!activity!to!focus!on!experiences!with!discrimination!or!stereotyping.! $ Enhance!the!life!histories!with!pictures!or!photographs.! $ Exhibit!student9elder!life!histories!together!(in!the!classroom!or!school).! ! ! ! ! ! Source:!Reprinted!with!the!permission!of!Little!Brothers9Friends!of!the!Elderly!from!their!book!"An!Intergenerational! Experience:!Learning!Across!Ages!9!A!Toolkit!for!educators"!copyrighted!and!published!in!2008.!

46! !

Session(4:(Aging(in(America,(A(Tapestry(of(Life( ! Your(Mission:((Compare(Aging(in(Two(Different(Cultures( Your!Task:!!find!two!people!over!the!age!of!55.!!They!must!be!from!two!different!cultures.!!Fill! out!the!Profile!Information!Form,!then!ask!the!questions.!!You!can!do!the!interviews!at!the! same!time!if!you!are!lucky!enough!to!get!two!people!together!or!interview!them!separately!at! different!times.!!You!can!even!use!the!telephone!or!e9mail.!!Try!to!get!interesting!answers!!! People!like!to!talk!if!you!seem!interested!and!ask!fun!thought!provoking!questions.!!Be!a!Fact" Detective.!

47! !

! QUESTION(

PERSON(#1(

PERSON(#2(

Where(were(your(grandparents( born?((What(language(did(they( speak?(

What!caused!them!to!move!to!a! new!location?!

Overall,(how(does(your(culture( treat(older(people?(

At!about!what!age!is!someone! considered!“elderly”!or!“old”!in! your!culture?!

Are(older(men(and(older(women( treated(the(same(or(differently(in( your(culture?((Explain.(

In!your!culture,!what!kinds!of!things! ! does!the!government!do!for!older! people?!

What(kind(of(music(do(older(people( ! in(your(culture(tend(to(like(best?(( Give(names(of(songs(and(singers.((

What!are!some!of!the!favorite!foods! ! of!older!people!in!your!culture?!

! Source:((Chicago(Department(on(Aging(

48! !

!! ! QUESTION

PERSON(#1(

PERSON(#2(

What(are(some(of(the(most(serious( problems(older(people(in(your(culture( have(to(face?!

What!are!some!good!things!about!being! an!older!person!in!your!culture?! !

Where%were%you%born?% ! Name!all!of!the!cities!in!which!you!have! lived.!

What(do(you%think(makes(a(person(age( well(in(America?(

What!are!the!most!serious!problems!that! you"think!all!Americans!face?!

What(are(the(most(serious(problems(that( you%think%American(teenagers(have(to( face?(

What!advice!would!you!give!to!today’s! teenagers!on!how!to!have!a!happy!life?!!

What(is(your(most(treasured(possession?(( ! Why?( !

What!are!three!words!that!you!would!use! to!describe!yourself?!

What!kinds!of!things!do!you!like!to!do!in! your!spare!time?! (

! !

49! !

Profile!Information!Form! !

Person!#1! !

Name:!

(

Cultural!Background:!

(

Birth!Date:!

( (

Date!of!Interview:!

Type!of!Interview:!!face!to!face,!phone,!e9mail,!other:!________!

Person!#2! !

Name:!

( ( ( ( (

Cultural!Background:!

Birth!Date:!

(

Date!of!Interview:!

(

Type!of!Interview:!!face!to!face,!phone,!e9mail,!other:!________!

(

Interviewer! Your!Name:!

( ( (

Cultural!Background!

Birth!Date:!

School:!

School!Address:!

Teacher:!

(

50! ! !

Session(5:(Concentric(Circles(( ( Overview(! This!activity!allows!young!and!old!participants!to!have!a!series!of!brief!one9on9one!discussions! in!which!they!share!experiences!and!feelings!on!a!variety!of!topics.!! % Objectives(! ! $ ! er!adults.!! ! $ # " ! ! Steps(! ! 1.!Arrange!the!chairs!in!two!concentric!circles,!with!chairs!from!the!inner!and!outer!circles! facing!each!other.!! ! 2.!Ask!the!older!half!of!the!participants!to!sit!in!the!inner!circle!and!the!younger!half!to!sit!in! the!outer!one!facing!them.!Everyone!should!have!a!partner.!! ! 3.!Ask!a!question!for!each!pair!to!discuss.!When!they’ve!had!just!enough!time!for!each! partner!to!speak!(usually!about!394!minutes)!ask!either!the!younger!participants!or!the! older!participants!to!move!one!seat!to!the!right.!Now!everyone!has!a!new!partner.!Ask!a! new!question.!Continue!this!for!at!least!four!rounds.!! ! Reflective(Questions:(! ! 1.!What!makes!you!proud!to!be!Native!American?!! ! 2.!What!do!you!most!want!to!learn!about!Native!American!culture?!! ! 3.!What!are!you!most!eager!to!learn!about!from!people!in!other!age!groups?!! ! 4.!What!is!the!most!important!thing!an!elder!has!taught!you?!! ! 5.!What!is!the!most!important!thing!a!young!person!has!taught!you?!! ! 6.!What!is!your!favorite!childhood!memory?!! ! ! Source:"Intergenerational"Activities"from"a"Native"American"Perspective(

51! !

Session(6:(Circle(of(Life( ( Overview:(! In!this!activity!participants!share!their!feelings!about!their!own!age!and!aging!in!general.!! ( Objectives:(( ! $ # " ! ! $ 9related!issues.!!

! Steps:(! ! 1.!!!Ask!everybody!(participants,!staff,!volunteers,!etc.)!to!place!themselves!in!a!circle!facing!inward,! from!the!oldest!to!the!youngest!member!of!the!group.!Start!with!the!oldest!participant!standing! by!the!next!oldest,!and!so!forth,!until!the!youngest!participant!is!standing!directly!beside!the! oldest!participant.!(To!add!an!element!of!difficulty,!have!people!find!their!places!in!the!circle! without!saying!a!word!to!each!other.)!! ! 2.!!!Taking!turns,!have!each!person!state!their!age!and!state!a!strength!associated!with!their!age.!! ! 3.!!!Now,!invite!participants!to!find!a!new!place!in!the!circle,!but!this!time,!suggest!they!may!move!in! the!circle!to!the!age!they!would!like!to!be.!Verbal!interaction!is!encouraged.!! ! 4.!!!Taking!turns,!have!each!person!state!their!desired!age!and!why!they!chose!to!be!that!age.!!

! Reflective(Questions:(! ! 1.!What!does!it!mean!to!be!that!age?!! ! 2.!What!are!some!of!the!benefits!of!your!“new”!age?!! ! 3.!What!are!some!of!the!limitations!of!your!“new”!age?!! ! 4.!Is!there!anything!you!think!you!could!do!at!that!age!that!you!can’t!do!now?!If!so,!what?!! ! 5.!How!can!physical!cues!be!accurate!or!inaccurate!in!judging!someone’s!age?!!

! Considerations:(! One!theme!that!usually!comes!out!in!this!activity!is!that!each!age!has!its!advantages!and!disadvantages.! In!other!words,!no!one!age!group!is!inherently!better!or!worse!than!other!age!groups.!Another!powerful! theme!is!how!there!are!similarities!across!age!groups,!such!as!how!we!all!enjoy!socializing!with!other! people.% Source:"Intergenerational"Activities"from"a"Native"American"Perspective(

52! !

Session(7:(Good(Living( ( Overview:( This!activity!brings!young!people!and!older!adults!together!to!share!their!conceptions!about!what!it! means!to!live!a!“good!life.”!! % Participant(Requirements:(! This!activity!is!good!for!any!sized!intergenerational!group,!as!long!as!participants!are!willing!to!share! personal!values!and!listen!to!those!held!by!others.!! % Objective:(! Provide!a!venue!in!which!a!group!of!young!people!and!older!adults!can!openly!and!non9 judgmentally!discuss!their!values.!! ! Materials/Resources:(! ! $ ! ! $ ! ! $ ! ! Steps:(! ! 1. Introduction:!Read!the!following:!! “There!are!many!ways!to!live!one’s!life.!Many!people!look!to!spirituality!for!guidance!in! making!decisions!about!how!to!behave.!In!our!Native!American!culture,!traditions!represent! values!to!live!by.!In!this!activity,!we!will!ask!you!to!work!with!others!to!create!your!own!list! of!values!to!live!by.!Afterwards,!you!will!share!and!discuss!your!ideas!with!each!other.”!! ! 2. Form!intergenerational!groups,!each!with!three!to!eight!participants.!! ! 3. Group!discussion:!! Have!each!group!start!with!a!general!discussion!about!what!it!means!to!be!a!“good”!or! “respectful”!person.!Then,!have!each!group!write!down!their!ideas!about!items!individuals! feel!should!be!included!in!a!listing!of!“values!for!good!living.”!Instruct!participants!to!list!as! many!items!as!they!see!fit,!as!long!as!the!majority!of!group!members!agree!with!each!item.!! ! 4. Reconvene!in!a!large!group.!One!at!a!time,!have!groups!present!their!lists!and!share!some!of! the!highlights!from!their!discussion.!(If!desired,!an!additional!step!could!be!included!in! which!the!overall!group!attempts!to!develop!an!integrated!list!that!reflects!the!input! provided!by!the!various!groups.)!! ! ( ( 53! !

Considerations:(! Encourage!participants!to!think!of!all!aspects!of!“good!living.”!! This!activity!is!likely!to!lead!to!a!lively!discussion!of!strongly!held!points!of!view.!Ensure!that!the! atmosphere!remains!open!and!that!all!participants!feel!comfortable!about!voicing!their!views.!! For!this!project!to!work!well!in!a!public!school!setting,!make!sure!to!emphasize!that!this!is!a!values! clarification!exercise!rather!than!one!of!moral!instruction.! ! ! ! ! From:"Intergenerational"Activities"from"a"Native"American"Perspective%

54! !

Activity(8:(Discussions(and(Deliberation( ( Overview:(! In!this!activity,!youth!and!older!adults!participate!in!an!open!discussion!and!deliberate!on!issues! that!are!of!common!concern.!Through!adopting!a!format!of!deliberation,!rather!than!a!debate! or!mere!dialogue,!participants!will!learn!more!about!the!issue!and!have!the!opportunity!to! consider!solutions!from!an!intergenerational!perspective.!! % Participant(Requirements:! Ideally,!have!a!minimum!of!12!participants.!This!activity!is!best!suited!for!older!youth!(14!–!18! years!old)!due!to!the!mature!nature!of!many!of!the!current!issues.!! % Objectives:(! ! $ Educate!participants!about!current!issues.!! ! $ Strengthen!participants’!critical!thinking!and!discussion!skills.!! ! $ Encourage!participants!to!become!less!judgmental!about!the!ways!in!which!people!of! other!generations!feel!about!controversial!topics.!! ! Materials/Resources:(! ! $ rs!! ! $ ! ! $ ! ! $ ! ! Steps:(! ! 1.) Preparation:!! Before!the!group!meets,!select!a!topic!for!the!deliberation.!Selection!can!be!made!by! providing!all!participants!with!a!ballot!containing!topic!options!and!asking!them!to!select! three!that!interest!them.!! Some!examples!of!topics!that!work!well!are:!sovereignty,!land!seizures,!sacred!sites,! mascots,!alcoholism,!affirmative!action,!immigration,!the!death!penalty,!violence!in!the! media,!Indian!education,!diabetes,!gang!activity,!teen!pregnancy,!elders,!foster!care,! Native!Cultural!traditions,!language,!environment,!global!warming,!and!racism.!Note! that!these!are!larger!issues!rather!than!current!events!that!are!tied!to!a!single!news! item.!! 55! !

! For!the!topic!that!receives!the!most!votes,!the!facilitator!locates!two!to!three!articles! and!a!fact!sheet.!The!best!materials!will!be!ones!that!represent!different!views!on!the! same!issue.!A!good!set!of!sources!would!include!an!objective!statistical!source,!and!two! editorials!or!sources!that!are!clearly!arguing!one!side!of!the!issue,!so!as!to!provide!both! pro!and!con!perspectives.!Distribute!these!sources!to!participants!in!advance,!but!bring! copies!for!people!who!forget!theirs!at!home.!! !! 2.) Introductions!and!procedure:!! Seat!the!entire!group!in!a!large!circle,!and!ask!one!member!of!the!group!to!volunteer!as! the!recorder.!(Place!the!flip!chart!beside!the!volunteer!so!that!they!can!take!notes!for! the!group.)!Ask!participants!to!take!out!the!reading,!so!they!can!reference!them!during! the!discussion.!! ! 3.) Introduce!yourself,!and!explain!to!the!group!that!the!discussion!is!designed!to!be!open! and!friendly.!Participants!need!to!show!respect!to!one!another!by:!! ! a.!Criticizing!the!comment,!not!the!person.!! ! b.!Listening!when!someone!else!is!speaking.!Limit!“side9bar”!conversation!! ! c.!Being!patient.!Don’t!interrupt!the!speaker.!! ! d.!Keeping!what!is!discussed!private.!People!should!feel!comfortable!sharing! personal!experiences!without!worrying!that!others!will!share!these!stories!with! strangers.!! ! 4.) Ask!all!the!members!of!the!group!to!introduce!themselves!and!say!why!they!think!the! selected!topic!is!an!important!one!to!discuss.!! ! 5.) Deliberation:!! Lead!the!group!discussion.!Structure!the!discussion!around!the!various!perspectives!on! the!topic.!This!is!possible!by!preparing!questions!in!advance!that!are!both!general!and! specific!to!the!sources!for!the!topic.!Good!questions!include:!! ! a.!What!are!the!different!viewpoints!that!people!have!about!this!topic?!! ! b.!What!are!the!arguments!for/against!this!issue?!! ! c.!What!do!opponents/supporters!feel!is!the!problem!behind!this!issue?!! ! d.!Why!is!this!issue!important!today?!Why!wasn’t!it!a!problem!in!the!past?!(Or,!was! it!an!issue!in!the!past,!and!how!was!it!dealt!with!or!not!dealt!with!then?)!! 56! !

! e.!Where!do!you!stand!on!this!issue?!! ! f.!What!accounts!for!the!different!ways!that!people!think!about!this!topic?!! ! g.!What!do!you!think!about!the!statement!that!the!author!of!the!article!made! regarding!___________?!(Optional)!! ! h.!How!would!a!supporter/critic!of!this!issue!respond!to!the!criticism!given!by! ___________?!(Optional)!! ! 6.) During!this!discussion,!make!sure!to!encourage!all!age!groups!to!contribute.!This! discussion!should!be!at!least!45!minutes!to!one!hour!to!allow!for!a!thorough!discussion.! After!the!group!has!discussed!the!issue,!have!them!begin!to!look!at!a!workable!solution.! It!is!important!to!keep!in!mind!that!the!best!idea!that!comes!from!this!deliberation!may! be!a!solution!that!only!helps,!but!does!not!solve,!the!problem.!Helpful!questions! include:!! ! a.!What!are!the!different!ways!in!which!people!think!we!should!address!this!issue?!! ! b.!Do!these!different!“solutions”!have!anything!in!common?!Any!shared!beliefs! about!the!problems?!! ! c.!Are!there!any!workable!solutions!all!participants!could!live!with?!(Many!times,! solutions!involving!education!programs!are!ones!that!all!sides!can!live!with.!The! facilitator!may!want!to!point!the!group!toward!looking!in!this!direction!for!a! common!direction!that!all!can!agree!upon.)!! Considerations:(! The!group!may!decide!to!continue!meeting.!The!next!step!might!involve!having!the!group! develop!an!action!plan!for!addressing!the!problem.!Together,!the!group!may!develop!an!idea! for!a!legislative!bill!and!send!it!to!their!representatives!in!federal,!state,!or!local!government.! They!may!create!a!pamphlet,!make!a!video,!or!create!a!curriculum!for!schools.!If!the!topic!is! teenage!pregnancy,!for!example,!they!could!develop!an!intergenerational!skit!that!they!would! perform!at!local!schools.!! ! Many!resources!are!available!to!help!plan!and!conduct!deliberation9type!activities.!Some! valuable!Internet!resources!are:!AIROS,!Native!American!Calls,!American!Indian!Policy!Center,! Indian!Country!Today,!National!Congress!of!American!Indians,!National!Indian!Education! Association,!and!Indian!Child!Welfare!Association.!

From:"Intergenerational"Activities"from"a"Native"American"Perspective%

57! !

Section(5:(Reflection(( ( Reflection!is!a!key!component!to!the!service6learning!experience!that! occurs!throughout!the!different!pre!and!post!service!activities.!The! following!activities!may!be!used!as!part!of!a!follow6up!or!culminating! reflection!activity!to!your!intergenerational!experience:! ! Session!1:!Photo!Reflection,!p.!59! Session!2:!Carousel!Walk!Reflection,!p.!60!

58! !

Session(1:!Photo(Reflection( ( Materials(Needed:(( Camera,!chart!paper,!markers,!pen! ! Description:(When!doing!any!service!project,!use!a!camera!to!capture!experiences!and! moments!that!matter.!Review!these!pictures!afterward!to!recognize!important!events!and!to! help!stimulate!reflection.!For!example,!if!students!are!facilitating!a!series!of!activities!with! senior!citizens!in!a!nursing!home,!have!them!document!their!experience!by!creating!a!photo! gallery.!Display!and!review!these!pictures!afterwards!for!ongoing!reflection.!! ! Ideas(for(Extension:((

Students!may!incorporate!the!photographs!and!descriptions!into!an!album!to!keep!in!the! classroom!for!future!reflection!and!connections!to!new!experiences.!! Consider!donating!the!photo!album!to!the!senior!center!as!a!gift!for!the!residents.!! Have!students!draw!or!paint!one!of!their!favorite!photo!images!and!include!a!short!creative! caption!that!highlights!why!they!chose!that!image.!!

! ! Source:!RMC!Research!Corporation!

! !

59! !

Session(2:(Carousel(Walk(Reflection( ( Materials(Needed:(Flip!chart!paper,!markers,!tape! ! Description:(A!carousel!walk!encourages!brainstorming,!creativity,!critical!thinking,!and!group! interaction.!The!teacher!sets!up!the!room!by!putting!a!question!on!the!top!of!a!piece!of!flip! chart!paper!and!posting!each!at!various!locations!in!the!classroom.!! ! Students!count!off!into!groups!of!six.!Each!group!starts!at!one!of!the!stations!where!the!paper!is! posted.!(Group!1!starts!with!questions!1,!group!2!with!question!2,!and!so!on).!Students!list!as! many!responses!as!they!can.!After!3!to!5!minutes,!the!teacher!tells!the!groups!to!move!on,!and! all!the!groups!rotate!to!the!next!flip!chart.!They!read!the!responses!already!written!and!add! more!of!their!own.!This!continues!until!each!group!has!answered!each!question.!When!the! groups!return!to!the!first!question!they!answered,!the!teacher!asks!them!to!read!through!all!of! the!responses!and!choose!three!that!best!represent!all!of!the!responses!on!the!page.!Students! report!out!to!the!whole!group.!Below!are!some!sample!questions:! Why!did!the!service!we!provided!make!a!difference?!! What!did!we!learn!from!the!activity?!! What!could!we!do!to!follow!up?!! What!happened!as!a!result!of!your!service6learning!experience?! How!does!what!you!learned!today!apply!to!other!situations?! What!academic!skills!did!you!use!today?! What!challenges!did!you!face!and!how!did!you!resolve!them?! What!would!you!do!differently!if!you!had!a!chance?! What!do!you!want!to!learn!next!as!a!result!of!this!experience?! ! Ideas(for(Extension:(( Students!can!generate!their!own!questions!for!the!flip!charts.( Students!work!in!groups!to!categorize!responses!to!each!question!and!generate!a! written!summary.!! ! Source:!RMC!Research!Corporation!

! ! !

60! !

Section(6:(Resources(and(Links( ( Books/Literature:( Nonfiction! Conversation+Starters+as+Easy+as+ABC+123:!How+to+Start+Conversations+with+People+who+ Have+Memory+Loss+by!Debora!Kaye!(ABCD!Books,!2000).! Growing+Older:+What+Young+People+Should+Know+about+Aging+by!John!Langone!(Little,! Brown!&!Co.,!1991).! ! Fiction! Doing+Time+Online+by!Jan!Siebold!(Albert!Whitman,!2002).!! The+Graduation+of+Jake+Moon+by!Barbara!Park!(Aladdin,!2000).! Handbook+for+Boys+by!Walter!Dean!Myers!(HarperCollins,!2002).! The+Bonesetter’s+Daughter+by!Amy!Tan!(Ballantine!Books,!2001).! Tuck+Everlasting+by!Natalie!Babbitt!(Farrar,!Straus!and!Giroux,!1985).! ! Movies(and(Films(that(Connect(to(Aging(Issues:! ! Gran!Torino!(2008,!USA)! Driving!Ms.!Daisy!(1989,!USA)! Cocoon!(1985,!USA)! UP!(2009,!USA)! On!Golden!Pond!(1981,!USA)! The!Remains!of!the!Day!(1993,!USA)! Himalaya!(1999,!French)! The!Last!Emperor!(1987)! Lightning!over!Water!(1980,!Germany)! El!Regalo!(2008,!Chile)! Batteries!not!Included!(1987,!USA)! The!Notebook!(2004,!USA)!

61! !

Websites:! Alzheimer’s!Association:!http://www.alz.org/index.asp!!

American!Association!for!Retired!Persons:!!!www.aarp.org/!

Chicago!Park!District:!!!www.chicagoparkdistrict.com!

Chicago!Department!on!Aging:!!!www.ci.chi.il.us/Aging/!

Generations!United:!www.gu.org!!

Gray!Panthers:!!www.graypanthers.org!

Illinois!Association!of!Area!Agencies!on!Aging:!http://i4ainfo.org/IHindex.htm!

Illinois!Department!on!Aging:!!www.state.il.us/aging!

Little!Brothers!Friends!of!the!Elderly:!http://www.littlebrotherschicago.org/!!

Meals!on!Wheels!Chicago:!!www.mealsonwheelschicago.org!

National!Center!on!Elder!Abuse:! http://www.ncea.aoa.gov/ncearoot/Main_Site/index.aspx!

National!Senior!Citizen’s!Law!Center:!!www.nsclc.org/!

National!Institute!on!Aging:!Info!for!Youth!on!Alzheimers:! http://www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers/Resources/Lists/children.htm!

Northeastern!Agency!on!Aging:!http://www.ageguide.org/programs!

Penn!State!University:!Intergenerational!Programs!and!Aging:! http://intergenerational.cas.psu.edu/Default.html!

Senior!Caucus:!http://www.seniorcaucus.org/!

Senior!Corps:!www.seniorcorps.org!

National!Academy!for!Teaching!and!Learning!about!Aging:! http://www.cps.unt.edu/natla/!!

62! !

Section(7:(Classroom(Connections,(Standards,(and(Project(Exemplars( Classroom(Connections:( Issues!facing!senior!citizens!can!easily!be!incorporated!into!classroom!curriculum.!!The!following!are!just! a!few!examples.! !

Social(Sciences( !

Examine!U.S.!policy!toward!senior!citizens! Examine!voting!trends!in!age!demographic!groups! Examine!the!role!of!organizations!that!support!the!elderly!in!the!U.S.!(i.e.,!AARP)! Examine!the!role!of!the!elderly!in!U.S.!society!and!compare!it!with!other!countries! Conduct!oral!histories!from!seniors!on!various!eras!in!American!and!world!history!

Economics( Explore!the!amount!of!expendable!income!available!to!seniors!and!examine!how!they!might! spend!it! Examine!social!security!and!various!retirement!investment!strategies! Compare!consumption!patterns!of!seniors!with!other!age!groups! ! English( Read!and!discuss!poetry,!short!stories,!and!novels!that!include!issues!of!aging! Explore!various!“wisdoms”!from!different!cultures! ! Health(Education( Examine!various!public!health!issues!and!how!they!impact!young!people!and!the!elderly! Research!a!particular!illness!that!the!elderly!are!at!risk!of!contracting!and!identify!the! progress!being!made!to!cure!it! Explore!good!nutritional!practices!and!compare!eating!habits!of!the!young!and!the!elderly! ! World(Languages( Visit!senior!citizens!who!speak!another!language!(Spanish,!Polish,!etc.)!at!a!center!or!church! and!practice!language!skills!with!them! Ask!seniors!who!speak!another!language!to!come!and!address!the!class!on!a!particular!issue! important!to!the!elderly! 63! !

Common(Core(and(State(Standards( ( Academic!preparation!for!a!serviceNlearning!project!can!meet!the!following!Common!Core!and!Illinois! State!Standards:! English!Common!Core:! Key$Ideas$and$Details:(Analyze!how!and!why!individuals,!events!and!ideas!develop!and!interact! over!the!course!of!a!text.! Text$Types$and$Purposes:(Write!narratives!to!develop!real!or!imagined!experiences!or!events! using!effective!technique,!wellNchosen,!and!wellNstructured!event!sequences.!! Research$to$Build$and$Present$Knowledge:(Conduct!short!as!well!as!more!sustained!research! projects!based!on!focused!questions,!demonstrating!understanding!of!the!subject!under! investigation.! Comprehension$and$Collaboration:(Prepare!for!and!participate!effectively!in!a!range!of! conversations!and!collaborations!with!diverse!partners,!building!on!others’!ideas!and!expressing! their!own!clearly!and!persuasively.!! ! IL!Social!Science!State!Standards:! 14.C.5!!!! Analyze!the!consequences!of!participation!and!nonNparticipation!in!the!! electoral!process.! 14.D.5!!!! Interpret!public!policies!and!issues!from!the!perspectives!of!different!! individuals!and!groups.! 15.B.5a!!! Analyze!the!impact!of!changes!in!nonNprice!determinants!on!consumer!! demand.! 15.E.5a!!! Explain!how!and!why!government!redistributes!income!in!the!economy.! 18.A.5!!!! Compare!ways!in!which!social!systems!are!affected!by!political,!! environmental,!economic,!and!technological!changes.! 18.B.5!!!! Use!methods!of!social!science!inquiry!to!study!the!development!and!! functions!of!social!systems!and!report!conclusions!to!a!larger!audience.! ! IL!Health!State!Standards:!! 20.B.5b!!! Evaluate!the!effects!of!fitness!choices!and!heredity!on!wellness.! 20.C.5b!! Understand!how!aging,!illness,!and!injury!affect!physical!activity.! 22.A.5a!! Explain!strategies!for!managing!contagious,!chronic,!and!degenerative!! Illnesses.! 23.C.5!!!! Explain!how!the!aging!process!affects!body!systems.! !

IL!World!Languages!State!Standards:! 28.B.3a!!! Respond!to!openNended!questions!and!initiate!communication!in!various!! ! ! situations.! 28.B.4a!!! Engage!in!extended!conversations!in!a!variety!of!situations.! 28.D.5.b!!! Make!impromptu!presentations!in!a!variety!of!academic,!social,!and!work! ! ! situations.!

64! !

Journals*of*Love* A(CPS(Intergenerational(ServiceALearning(Exemplar( ! Primary(Content(Area:!!English!I! Introduction:!! The!Romeo!and!Juliet!Intergenerational!History!Project(serviceNlearning!activity!enables!young!people!to! learn!from!the!experiences!of!the!elderly!by!examining!their!first!love!experiences!and!comparing!them! to!Shakespeare’s!Romeo!and!Juliet.!Through!reader’s!theatre,!the!students!will!reNwrite!a!scene!from! this!drama!about!young!love!and!then!present!it!to!senior!citizen!home!residents.!!Next,!the!students! collaborate!with!an!elderly!individual!to!write!the!senior’s!personal!story!about!their!memories!of!their! own!first!love.!!Lastly,!the!stories!are!compiled!in!a!book!(might!include!translations!where!appropriate)! and!presented!to!the!senior!citizen!during!a!culminating!celebratory!event.!!!! Project(Goals!!

Students!will!be!able!to!interpret!and!understand!Shakespearian!language!through!a!reading!of! Romeo!and!Juliet.! Students!will!be!able!to!make!connections!between!Shakespearian!characters!and!their!own! lives,!as!well!as!the!lives!of!the!elderly!in!their!communities.! Student!will!become!metaNcognitive!learners!by!examining!the!appropriate!vocabulary!to! incorporate!to!communicate!ideas.! Students!will!learn!to!present!scenes!from!Shakespeare!in!dramatic!fashion.!! Students!will!develop!writing!and!editing!skills!as!they!create!their!own!love!stories!based!on! interviews!with!senior!citizens.! Students!will!reflect!on!their!experiences.!!

! Procedure/Project(Sequence! 1. Teacher!schedules!tentative!senior!center!visitation!date!or!dates!(number!of!visit(s)!determined! by!dates!available!for!teacher!and!nursing!home).! 2. Students!receive!background!information!on!Shakespeare!and!are!provided!with!tools!to!read! and!understand!a!Shakespearian!drama.!! 3. Students!read!Romeo!and!Juliet!and!select!a!scene!to!present.! 4. Students!reNwrite!the!selected!scene!in!modern!day!language!and!rehearse!a!reader’s!theatre! presentation!of!the!scene.!! 5. Students!present!a!Reader’s!Theatre!dramatic!presentation!to!the!senior!center!residents.! 6. Students!collaborate!with!an!elderly!individual!and!write!the!senior’s!personal!story!in!the! student’s!journals!documenting!the!senior’s!memories!of!their!young!!!!!!love.! 7. *Students!collaborate!with!computer!students!to!create!senior!love!story!books.! 8. During!culminating!celebratory!event!books!are!presented!to!elderly!partners!at!senior!center.! 65! !

!! 9. During!culminating!celebration!provide!a!reflection!activity!that!engages!students!and!senior! citizens!in!discussion!about!the!experience.! 10. Conduct!a!final!classroom!evaluation!using!some!of!the!following!questions:!!What!did!we!want! to!happen?!!What!happened?!Describe!rationales!for!outcomes?! ! *Optional$collaboration$activity$ Community(Partner/Resources! Chicago!Department!of!Aging! ENmail:!aging@cityofchicago.org! Web:!! www.cityofchicago.org/aging! ! Senior!Centers!providing!adult!day!service!are!located!by!zip!code:!! www.state.il.us/aging/1directory/adult_day.pdf!! ! State!of!Illinois!Volunteer!Center! www.200.state.il.us/volunteer!! ! Community!Network!Volunteer!Center!(Greater!Chicago)! Volunteer!Resources! 300!North!Elizabeth! Chicago,!Illinois!!60607! 312/906N2409!! www.chicagovolunteer.net! ! Little!Brothers,!Friends!of!the!Elderly!Chicago!Chapter! 355!North!Ashland!Avenue! Chicago,!IL!60607N1019! (312)!455N1000! http://www.chicago.littlebrothers.org/volunteer/signup.php! ! Addendum! Standards:$ This!project!addresses!the!following!Social!Emotional!Learning!Standards!as!well!as!the!following!Illinois! Learning!Standards!for!English.!! Goal!!2:!Use!social!awareness!and!interpersonal!skills!to!establish!and!maintain!positive!relationships!( A.!Recognize!the!feelings!and!perspectives!of!others.! 2.!A.4b:!Analyze!similarities!and!differences!between!one’s!own!and!other’s!perspectives.! 2.!A.4b:!Use!conversation!skills!to!understand!others’!feelings!and!perspectives.! 2.!A.5b:!Demonstrate!ways!to!express!empathy!for!others.! ! 1.B.4c:! Read!ageNappropriate!material!with!fluency!and!accuracy.!! 1.C.4b:! Explain!and!justify!an!interpretation!of!a!text.! 2.A.4a:! Analyze!and!evaluate!the!effective!use!of!literary!techniques.! 3.B.4c:!Evaluate!written!work!for!its!effectiveness!and!make!recommendation!for!its!improvement.! 4.B.4c:!Use!strategies!to!manage!or!overcome!communication!anxiety!and!apprehension.! 5.C.4a:!Plan,!compose,!edit!and!revise!information.! Duration! 66! !

!! Students!who!complete!the!entire!project!should!spend!20N30!hours!on!the!project!depending!on!the! amount!of!time!spent!with!the!seniors!and!on!the!book!of!love!stories.!The!suggested!duration!of!this! project!is!5N10!weeks.!! ! Preparation:! Choosing!a!scene!from!Romeo!and!Juliet!and!preparing!it!for!presentation!as!a!Reader’s! Theatre!piece!–!4N6!hours! Action:! Presenting!the!scene!at!a!senior!center,!gathering!stories!of!first!love!and!creating!a! book!for!presentation!to!the!senior!citizens!–!10N12!hours! Reflection:! Discussion/Writing!with!senior!citizens!and!evaluating!with!fellow!classmate!–!5N7!hours! CrossCCurricular$Connections! ! Connections!with!Sociology!classes!(unit!on!aging)!and!Drama!could!be!made!during!this!project.!! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

67! !

References( $ The$Complete$Guide$to$Service$Learning$(2010)!by!Cathryn!Berger!Kaye.!! $ Intergenerational$Activities$from$a$Native$American$Perspective$by!Peggy!Roy!and!LeMoine! LaPointe!.!From!the!Minneapolis!American!Indian!Center:! http://intergenerational.cas.psu.edu/Docs/NASourcebook.pdfhttp://intergenerational.cas.psu. edu/Docs/NASourcebook.pdf!http://intergenerational.cas.psu.edu/Docs/NASourcebook.pdf! $ An$Intergenerational$Experience:$Learning$Across$AgesCA$Toolkit$for$Educators$(2008).!!Little! BrothersNFriends!of!the!Elderly!Chicago!Chapter.!! $ Learning$for$Longer$Life$(1999),$by!D.!Couper!and!F.!Pratt.!National!Academy!for!Teaching!and! Learning!about!Aging.! ! Lesson$Plans$on$Aging$Issues:$Stereotypes$and$Ageism.$Ithaca!College!Gerontology!Institute:! www.ithaca.edu/aging/schools).! ! Connecting$Thinking$and$Action:$Ideas$for$ServiceCLearning$Reflection.$RMC!Research! Corporation,!Denver,!CO.! !! ! ! ! ! !

70! !

City-Wide Agencies Organization

Chicago Cares http://www.chicagocares.org

Focus Area Community Development, Housing and Homelessness, Senior Citizen Support, Environment; Food, Hunger, Nutrition

Contact Katie Clendenning, program coordinator Youth in Service

Phone Number

312-780-0800

Zip Address Code

300 West Adams, Suite 300

60606

Douglas Center, the http://www.thedouglascenter.com

Carla Senior Citizen Gustafson, Support, People clinical with Disabilities coordinator

(847) 6741921

carlag@th 3445 W. edouglasc Howard enter.com Ave.

60076

Jane Addams Senior Caucus http://www.seniorcaucus.org/

Healthcare and Housing Issues for Seniors

Lori Clark, executive director

lori@senio rcaucus.or 312-787-2382 4040 N g, x 227 Sheridan jasc4@att g.net

60613

Community$ Development,$ People$with$ Disabilities,$ Senior$Citizen$ Support Database for finding senior residencies around Chicago

Sarah$ Harbaugh,$ 773J313J program$ 0075$ext.$ coordinator,$ 111 CareTeam$&$ WillPower

MGR$Foundation$$ http://www.mgrfoundation.org

Senior Suites http://www.seniorhousingchicago.com/

312-673-4333

SHarbau gh@mgrf .org

60646

Activities

VITAS Innovative Hospice Care http://www.vitas.com

Chicago Department on Aging

Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly http://www.littlebrotherschicago.org The Gray Panthers http://graypanthers.org/index.php?opti on=com_content&task=view&id=62&It emid=10

Public Health, Senior Citizen Support

tamika.fou 1340 S. Tamika Roust 312-997-7290 st@vitas.c Damen om Ave.

Classes can participate in EBuddies with inpatient, create lap blankets or Memory Bears (teddy bears 60608 for families made of the patient's clothes), or complete a special project for the inpatients.

Angela Brown, Angela: 312Director; 743-1016; Barbara Barbara: 312Thomas, 743-1017 Housing

1615 W. Chicago Ave

60622

Christine Bertrand

355 N. Ashland

60607

1424 giudi@spr East 58th 773-955-1224 ynet.com Street

60637

Intergenerational Advocacy Work for Social Justice Issues Giudi Weiss

312-455-1000

Northside*Agencies Focus* area Senior& Alden&Lincoln&Park& Citizen& http://www.aldenlincolnpark.com Support Senior& Citizen& Bethany&Place&Retirement&Community Support Organization

Castleman&Apartments

Elizabeth&Woods&Apartments& akazmerzak@habitat.com

Hattie&Callner&Senior&Apartments

Kenmore&Apartments

Senior& Citizen& Support

Senior& Citizen& Support Senior& Citizen& Support

Senior& Citizen& Support

Contact Susan& Galarion

Preferred* Hours

Student*Cap. 5

Annette& Kazmerzak

Marcia&Curry

Annette& Kazmerzak

Phone 773@281@6200

Paul& Kalkowski

Ann&Kim

Activities

Address

Zip

504&West& Wellington& Avenue

60657@ 5421

773@989@1501

4950&N.& Ashland

60640

773@803@9329

4945&N.& Sheridan

60640

2&different& buildings&(EW& in&Lincoln& Park&MWF,& Art&project,& Uptown&and& exercise& 312@643@2397;& group&preferred,&20& Foster&T,Th)& group,&Bingo,& work&773@383@ 1845&N.& students any&time interviews 8316&(preferred) Larrabee

60614

833&W.& Aldine

60657

2&different& buildings&(EW& in&Lincoln& Park&MWF,& Art&project,& Uptown&and& exercise& 312@643@2397&& group&preferred,&20& Foster&T,Th)& group,&Bingo,& work&773@383@ 5040&N.& students any&time interviews 8316&(preferred) Kenmore

60640

morning,&but& contact& Chicago&Cares& if&interested& in&a& partnership

773@281@8008

Lidia&Pucinska&Apartments& amikolajczyk@habitat.com

Ruth&Shriman&Senior&Apartments

Sheridan/Leland&Apartments

Wicker&Park&Senior&Apartments Counseling&Center&of&Lake&View&@& Older&Adults&Program

Senior& Citizen& Support Senior& Citizen& Support Senior& Citizen& Support Senior& Citizen& Support Senior& Citizen& Support

Andrew& Mikolajczyk&

312@455@1762

773@665@2210

Ann&Kim&

same&information& as&Castleman& Apartments

773@803@9329

773@782@4329

773@549@5886

847&N.& Greenview 4040&N.& Sheridan& Road 4645&N.& Sheridan& Road 2020&W.& Schiller&St. 1908&W.& Montrose& Avenue

60622

60613

60640

60622

60618

Northwest)Agencies Organization Alden&Northmoor& http://www.aldennorthmoor.com/ Bethesda&Home

Focus)area Senior&Citizen& Support Senior&Citizen& Support

Contact Pinky&

Student)Cap.

Preferred)Hours

Phone

Address

Zip)code

5831&North& 773>775>8080 Northwest&Highway

60631

773>622>6144 2833&N.&Nordica

60634

Casa&Central&(Group)&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& cdebusmann>serra@casacentral.org

Child&and&Youth& Development,&Senior& Citizen&Support,& Cheryl& Community& Debusmann> Development,& Serra Housing&and& Homelessness;&Food,& Hunger,&Nutrition

773>645>2465

Center&Homes&for&Hispanic&Elderly& North

Senior&Citizen& Support

773>782>8700 1401&North&California&

60622

312>744>6681;& 3160&N.&Milwaukee 312>742>7977

60639

773>205>3308 3235&N.&Central&Ave.&

60634

Copernicus&Center&for&Senior&Citizens& (Chicago&Dept.&on&Aging)

Senior&Citizen& Support

Mather's&>&More&than&a&Café&(Group)& http://www.matherlifeways.com&& egabrielgalan@matherlifeways.com

Senior&Citizen& Support,&Education

Lucy,&activities& director Rafael& Gonzales,& volunteer& coordinator;& Angela& Fitzgerald,& specialist&in& aging&II Eileen&Gabriel> Galan,& associate& director

1343&N.&California& Ave.&

60622

Northwest&Side&Housing&Center&& http://www.nwshc.org& vquiles@nwshc.org

Vanessa& Quiles,& Housing&and& Housing& Homelessness,&Senior& Counselor&and& Citizen&Support Community& Organizer

Norwood&[Life&Society]&Crossing

Senior&Citizen& Support

Senior&Suites&of&Belmont&Cragin& ttaylor@seniorlifestyle.com

Senior&Support>arts&&& crafts,&would&be& interested&in&students& Tayetta&Taylor,& who&would&like&to& property& teach&computer&skills& manager to&residents,&starting& in&the&spring&2012.& Call&for&more&details.

Director&of& Volunteers& Kate&Roche

Senior&Suites&of&Kelvyn&Park& sarias@seniorlifestyle

Senior&Citizen& Support

Salvador&Arias;&

St.&Joseph&Village&>& Alzheimer's/Dementia&Care& http://www.franciscancommunities.co m/&&& isaulst@franciscancommunities.com

Senior&Citizen& Support

Ingrid&Saulst,& life&enrichment& and&volunteer& coordinator&

773>283>3888& 5007&W.&Addison&St.& x&23

60641

773>577>5329 6016&N.&Nina&Ave

60631

773>237>1333 6045&W.&Grand&Ave

60639

773>252>0333 2715&N.&Cicero

60639

(773)&328>5500 4021&W.&Belmont&

60641

Has&special&events& calendar,&as&well&as& 10 daily&activities 20>30

ONCE&A&MONTH

10>15&students 10>11:30am&or&2>4

St.&Joseph&Village&>&Assisted&Living&Unit& Senior&Citizen& http://www.franciscancommunities.co Support m/

SAME&AS& ABOVE

(773)&328>5500& 4021&W.&Belmont& x&5541

Victory&Centre&of&Galewood& http://www.pathwaysl.com/&&& Cgarcia@PathwaysSL.com

Farah,& activities& manager

2370&N.&Newcastle& 773>385>5002 Ave.&

Senior&Citizen& Support

60707

Warren&Park&Nursing&Home;&called

St.&Paul's&House&&&Health&Care&Center

Senior&Citizen& Support

Ruthie&Brooks,& site& coordinator Sandra&Wulf;& Darleen& Dineen&

773>745>2855 6700&N.&Damen&

60609

3800&N.&California& 773>478>4222 Avenue

60618

Southside*Agencies Organization

Focus*area

Contact

Student*Capacity

Phone

Address

Zip*code

Ada$Niles$Day$Center$ cbridges@catholiccharities.net

Adult$Day$Center,$Catholic$Charities;$Service$for$Alzheimers/Dementia/Stroke$Victims Sharice$Davis One$classroom$(up$to$30$or$so$students)

773I488I5400

6717$S.$Elizabeth$St.

60636

Bronzeville$Park$Nursing$Home

Senior$Support

Angela$$

312I842I5000

3400$S.$Indiana

60616

International$Village

Senior$Support

Tish

773I927I4200

Lincoln$Perry$Annex

Senior$Support

Lincoln$Perry$Apartments Martin$Farrell$House Montgomery$Place$ http://www.montgomeryplace.org/$ gldmathis@yahoo.com

Park$Shore$East$Elderly

Senior$Support Senior$Support Senior$support$with$ empahsis$on$ Alzheimers/Dementia.$ Students$and$teachers$ participate$in$an$ orientation.$Maximum$ student$capacity$is$13 Senior$Support

Pioneer$Gardens$Senior$Center

Senior$Support

Robert$Lawrence$Apartments Senior$Suites$of$Gage$Park

Senior$Support Senior$Support

Senior$Suites$of$Garfield$Ridge

Senior$Support

St.$Sabina$Elder$Village

Senior$Support

Kenwood$Healthcare$Center

4815$S.$Western

60609

312I225I4347

243$E.$32nd$Street

60616

Sherry$Lang

312I225I2186

3245$S.$Prairie

60616

Gilda$Mathis

773I753I4102

5550$South$Shore$ Drive

60637

773I955I7054

6250$S.$Harper$Ave

60637

773I420I4100

3800$S.$King$Drive

60653

773I602I9042 773I434I4333

655$W.$65th$St. 3244$W.$59th$St.

60621 60629

773I340I9914

5839$S.$Harlem

60638

773I994I7850

1222$W.$79th$St. 6125$S.$Kenwood$ Avenue

60620

Lisa$Swanson Ms.$Sarah$ Cheatam Lucy$Frazier

Latoya$Ross,$ admin$assistant Margaret$Bridge$ (sp?)

age$doesn't$matter$15I20$students

773I752I6000

60637

Greencastle$of$Woodlawn

Senior$Support

Gwen$Social$ Activities$ Coordinator;$ initial$contact$ very$enthusiastic

(773)$643I 8100;$given$ (773)$643I7551 808$E$61st$Street

60615

Westside'Agencies Organization

Focus' area

Senior'Suites'of' Austin

Senior' Support

Bethel'New'Life'Adult' Senior' Day'Care Support

Contact

Dinah'Huff

Chicago'Department' Senior'Support on'Aging'Senior' Centers Columbus'Park' Nursing'Home Lorraine'Hansberry

Senior'Support Senior' Support

Kathryn' Dougherty'

Student' Cap.

Preferred' Hours

10 11:0003:00

Phone

Email'

Address

77304660 8906

335'N.' Menard' Ave'

'77303780 8294

dhuff@bethelnewli 4950'W.' fe.org Thomas

31207460 5300 77302870 5959 77303790 4256

2101'W.' Ogden' Avenue 901'S.' Austin' Avenue kdougherty@habit 5760'W.' at.com Lake

Zip' code

60644

60651

60612

60644