June 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 41

pre-pandemic levels. One caveat to
note is that intergenerational programming
has helped to bridge a
social gap and provide extremely
positive benefits to all participants
involved. From tutoring students in
schools to assisting with job readiness,
creating cultural awareness
and connection, and, most importantly,
finding common ground in
personal experiences, intergenerational
programs are making headway
in communities across the
United States.
Why is this intergenerational connection
important? It allows older
adults to impart wisdom in a way
that is meaningful and appropriate
to a younger generation. It helps to
dispel stereotypes pertaining to ageism
- for both the younger and older
person - to find relatable similarities
and learn from one another
in ways that offer a whole new perspective.
Creating connections can
offer a newfound sense of purpose,
and a drive to assist one another,
potentially one of the most primal
forms of connection.
Rachel Cohen is the executive
director of Aging Dynamics and
LinkAGES, two agencies that promote
thriving, resilient communities
through
connection.
LinkAGES
facilitates intergenerational
connections in the Denver area by
designing, sustaining and supporting
high-quality programs to connect
generations, decrease ageism
and support healthier communities.
Cohen mentions the importance
of having intentionality in intergenerational
programming, meaning
that the basic idea centers around
bringing people together through a
shared interest. Topics can include
art, wellness, movement, nutrition
or music. Once this shared interest
is identified, the facilitator builds
Intergenerational programming has
helped to bridge a social gap and
provide extremely positive benefits to
all participants involved.
a program around this core theme
or interest. Intergenerational programming
requires more than just
a room to provide the activity. The
program has a facilitator who helps
to guide and encourage conversation
- and thus, the connection
- while the activity is happening.
This gentle but guided facilitation
allows for the magic of intergenerational
programming to blossom.
Preschoolers through college-age
youth can tap into and share personal
experiences, and those of an
older generation can share in and
relate to those experiences. Cohen
notes that the key to these connections
is that each person brings in
some type of relatable experience
no matter the age. The vehicle is
the program activity, which creates
space for the facilitator to pose a
question that might foster relatability,
and the end goal is connection
and understanding one another.
LinkAGES has created toolkits
to help foster connection through
art and music and by offering additional
outreach support to assist
under-resourced populations in the
community. LinkAGES addresses
accessibility and inclusion for
spaces and programs. In addition,
they offer webinars on age-friendly
communities - featuring all different
types of programs and efforts
in community that can bring generations
together.
When asked why creating spaces
to enhance connection is so valuable
in 2024, Cohen responds by stating,
" [S]ensing a disconnect and lack of
safe discourse around challenging
things happening locally and globally,
we have lost that confidence
and ability to create a safe speaking
environment for each other. We are
also trying to define different generations
so strictly. Ageism exists and
separates communities; we need to
come together. "
Cohen goes on to note how positive
differences can be made in the
communities
and
neighborhoods
where we live. She mentions the
places we go can be a great way to
start making connections. " Start
noticing one another - pick your
head up, put [your] phone away and
pay attention. Chat and acknowlPARK
S ANDRECRE AT ION . OR G | JUNE 2 0 2 4 | Parks & Recreation
41
June 2024 – Parks & Recreation

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