Why support and partner with aging-in-place organizations?

• 77% of adults over 50 prefer to age in place. In 2020, only 1.2 million adults over 65 were residents in a nursing home.
• Within the past 20 years, the percentage of older adults living in nursing homes has declined, while the percentage of older adults living in traditional housing has increased.
• About one in five adults ages 50 to 80 (19%) say they are very confident in paying for help with household chores, grocery shopping, personal care, and managing finances. Meanwhile, 39% were somewhat confident in paying for the same expenses, and 43% were not confident they could afford these factors.

As businesses want a robust workforce and meaningful community presence, the spring is an excellent time to do both through supporting intergenerational programs.

These programs are not just goodwill gestures; they are strategic investments.

Research has shown that such community engagements supporting seniors aging-in-place can improve seniors’ health outcomes, enhance learning experiences for youth, increase employee satisfaction for younger workers, and create a more connected, productive society.

In addition, engaging with intergenerational programs fosters a vibrant community and builds a framework for tomorrow. As business leaders and professionals, the investments we make now in the well-being of seniors and youth lay the groundwork for the support we may one day appreciate.

By contributing to these initiatives this spring, we are serving others and investing in the infrastructure to enrich our senior years, ensuring a continuum of care and community that benefits all ages.

The Case for Intergenerational Connections

Harvard Business Review highlights the tangible benefits of corporate social responsibility, stating that companies engaged in community efforts see improvements in employee morale and a positive impact on their brand perception.

The Journal of Intergenerational Relationships provides evidence for adolescents and seniors that intergenerational interactions can —

• Demonstrate how non-familial intergenerational programs involving adolescents and older adults benefited both.
• Benefits for older adults included improved well-being and cognitive and social engagement.
• Benefit adolescents through identity formation and skill development.
• Shared outcomes for both generations were improved attitudes and stereotypes, reduced generational gap, and solidarity.

By dedicating resources—volunteer time, financial contributions, and advocacy—to aging-in-place initiatives that merge seniors’ insight with youth’s vigor, businesses are paving the way for a more compassionate future where all ages can flourish together.

The imperative for action is clear, and the time to start is now, leveraging the momentum of spring’s renewal to catalyze lasting change.

How Your Business Can Contribute and Partner with Aging-in-Place Organizations

Your company has the potential to be a cornerstone in the advancement of intergenerational programs. Here are some ways your business can effectively partner with aging-in-place organizations to foster community-wide benefits by bringing old and young together:

• Employee Volunteer Programs: Launch an intergenerational volunteer initiative, encouraging your team to share their expertise and time with aging-in-place organizations, enriching the lives of seniors and youth alike.
• Educational Partnerships: Form collaborative partnerships with schools to integrate seniors from aging-in-place programs into the educational process, facilitating mentorship and shared learning experiences.
• Faith-Based Outreach: Work with aging-in-place organizations to organize intergenerational activities within faith communities, promoting the exchange of wisdom between the young and the old.
• Corporate Donations: Contribute financially to help aging-in-place organizations expand their intergenerational programs, vital for community integration.
• In-Kind Support: Offer your company’s services or facilities for activities that unite generations, such as hosting a game day where seniors and youth can play video games side by side.
• Advocacy and Awareness: Use your business’s platform to champion the importance of intergenerational engagement.
  “Whether it is kindergarteners visiting nursing homes, older men and women volunteering at the local elementary school library, or older and young adults playing video games together, the opportunity for different generations to engage has shown evidence in reducing prejudice and negative stereotypes,” said Accius, a Next Avenue Influencer in Aging.
• Corporate Matching Gifts: Start a matching gift program, motivating employees to support aging-in-place organizations, emphasizing your company’s commitment to fostering intergenerational connections.
• Event Sponsorship: Support and sponsor events organized by aging-in-place organizations that promote intergenerational bonding, helping to build bridges between generations.

By bringing these strategies into your business’s community engagement efforts, you will help the effectiveness of aging-in-place organizations and reinforce the existence and importance of intergenerational unity in your local area.

The Long-term Impact on Community and Business

Investing in intergenerational programs through partnerships with aging-in-place organizations has profound implications for the immediate community, your business’s brand, and long-term sustainability.

For your Community:

• Cultural Continuity: When seniors and youth interact, a transfer of cultural values and traditions ensures a community’s continuity.
• Social Cohesion: These programs can reduce age-related segregation, fostering a stronger and more inclusive society where mutual respect across generations is the norm.
• Health and Wellbeing: Studies suggest that such engagement can lead to better mental and physical health for seniors while youth develop a greater sense of empathy and social responsibility.

*The logic model is based on discussions with the stakeholder group while constructing the evidence gap map (Campbell, 2023) and previously published literature (Ronzi, 2018; Vieira, 2016).

PROTOCOL: How do intergenerational activities affect children’s and young people’s well-being and mental health? Campbell Systematic Reviews, July 2023

For your business:

Reputation and Branding: A business known for its commitment to social causes, particularly those that unite different age groups, can anticipate an increase in its positive brand image, attracting consumers and potential employees who value corporate social responsibility.

Employee Engagement: Employees often feel greater pride and loyalty to a company that demonstrates genuine care for community welfare, leading to higher retention rates and more enthusiastic engagement.

The benefits of this investment and programs have the power to ripple through time, impacting future generations. For example, fostering intergenerational programs today prepares the youth to value and support such initiatives as they grow, creating a cycle of care and support.

This means building a community involvement and leadership reputation that is more than the current business cycle, positioning your business as a leader of thriving and interconnected communities.

A business that understands and acts upon the importance of intergenerational connections positions itself as a transformative force for the betterment of society.

“The number of Americans ages 65 and older is projected to increase from 58 million in 2022 to 82 million by 2050 (a 47% increase), and the 65-and-older age group’s share of the total population is projected to rise from 17% to 23%.”