According to Generations United, a clearing house for improving intergenerational connections, “intergenerational programs are social vehicles that can offer younger and older generations the opportunities to interact and become engaged in issues concerning our society.” It is throught these kinds of programs that both generations can share their knowledge, talents, resorces, and expertise. Meaningingul relationships can e created that benefit both individuals and the community.
In the past, it was commonplace to see multiple generations sharing the same household. Grandparents, usually resided in the home, saw their grandchildren daily and shared in the responsibility. Now, living arrangements have changed and some families are separated by great distances. Not having grandparents doesn’t mean youth can’t have older people in their lives. Margaret Mead once said, ” Somehow, we have to get older people back close to growing children, if we are to restore a sense of community, acquire knowledge of the past, and provide a sense of the future. “