Professional Documents
Culture Documents
PROJECT 1
Katherine Rosinsky
HD497: Capstone
Capstone Project
For my capstone project I decided to investigate a subject that has been circulating in my
mind throughout my time at Pacific Oaks College (POC): intergenerational care and living. One
of the most influential books I have read over the course of my year at POC was Joan Eriksons
(1998) Wisdom and the Senses. In this book, Erikson (1998) beautifully illustrates the tension
between the syntonic and dystonic extremes of each developmental stage. Eriksons (1998) was
one of the required books for the class HD300: Early Childhood Themes and Lifecycle Issues,
For this class, we were also tasked with completing a study of three different life stages:
early childhood, adolescence, and older adulthood. For the early childhood stage, I observed a
preschool class of 3 year-olds, for the adolescent interview I selected a 19 year-old male, and for
the older adult I chose a 70 year-old woman. I was able to correlate the results of each sample to
the theories I was learning about in class. I connected the collaborative play of the 3 year-olds to
Vygotskys ideas on peer tutors, while the 19 year-old exhibited the regressive egocentrism
mentioned by Piaget and Elkind (Elkind, 1967; Oakley, 2004). The older adult interview
illuminated the search for wisdom that Erikson identifies in his eighth stage (Erikson, 1998). But
it wasnt until months later, after more time spent learning about cultural views on aging, did I
Depending on where one was born, he or she might have been raised in a collectivist or
individualist culture. In collectivist cultures, found in many Asian and Latin American countries,
loyalty to family is valued over independence and households are often shared with children,
adults, and seniors. In America, and many other Western countries, children are raised to be
CAPSTONE PROJECT 3
autonomous and, as they get older, they move away from their parents (Gonzales-Mena, 2008).
Grandparents also tend to live independently or in a facility with other seniors, contributing to a
societal trend of age segregation. While it may be convenient in some cases for seniors to live in
nursing homes or assisted living, a 2014 paper suggests that there are many drawbacks as well.
Tenants of senior housing are likely to experience isolation, among other vulnerabilities
(Portacolone & Helpurn, 2014). Two ways to mitigate social isolation is through
Intergenerational Living
In her book Wisdom and the Senses, Joan Erikson (1998) argues that we should not only
care for our senses as we age, but also preserve them. In her opinion, we have wonderful doctors
to care for our senses as they fail, but we pay little attention to the things we can do to keep them
vital. In a 1988 interview for PBS, Erikson talks about the ways in which she and her husband,
psychologist Erik Erikson, have kept their senses vital. One way they have done this is by
moving into a shared home with younger housemates. She tells the interviewer that living in a
community of older people would be terribly boring and says as people age, they should Keep
as many fields and areas of interest open as you can (1998, PBS). Your life cycle is, after all,
your most personal creative effort; shouldnt it in some way continue to communicate with all
the old and young with whom you have shared this life? (Erikson, 1998, p. 126).
For the Eriksons it was important to have active participation in a life with multiple
generations, but evidence supports the benefits for children as well. A 2014 study conducted in
China found that living with well-educated grandparents significantly reduces childrens
likelihood of school dropout (Zeng, 2014). The following section will discuss how
Intergenerational Schools
remarked on the important role that grandparents play in a childs development, particularly
relating to the development of healthy attachments. He talked about the unique ability older
adults have to pass down stories and wisdom to our younger generation, otherwise known as
tribal wisdom. In Seattle this idea is put into practice at the Providence Mount St. Vincent
retirement home. In the same facility is The Intergenerational Learning Center for children ages
2-5 year-old. The residents have daily interaction with the children. Intergenerational schools are
committed to increasing awareness of intergenerational collaboration, there are over 500 similar
Intergenerational collaboration works well to combine academic and social benefits when
children regularly spend time with seniors. A 2001 paper presented the results of a service-
learning (S.L) program called Book Buddies. S.L. programs connect community service with
learning objectives. The five year-olds enrolled in Book Buddies participated in weekly trips to a
senior home where they read books with the residents. We saw children immersed in the kinds
of emotionally warm lap-reading experiences that support their growing interest in, and
competence with, the written word (Freeman & King, 2001, p. 216). The teachers noted
improvements in the childrens literacy skills and also the development of emerging empathy.
There is a valuable social lesson learned when children are in the company of older and ill or
disabled adults. The study also reported on the evident joy that the children brought to the
Concluding Thoughts
Pondering the isolation of old age and the developing empathy of young children, I cant
help but think of a song by John Prine. The chorus to his 1971 song, Hello In There, says:
Who better to say hello to old people than the youngest, most vigorous generation? Going
back to Eriksons advice against failing senses communicate with all the old and young with
whom you have shared this life (Erikson, 1998, p. 126)we should encourage these types of
interactions for the benefit of all. There is a wonderful common ground found amid the very
young and the very old. In my own experience of children and the elderly, I see a dynamic
balance that exists in their interactions. There is much to be shared between these two groups of
Reference
Cozolino, L., (April 16, 2016). 27th Annual RIE Conference. Keynote address.
Freeman, N. K., & King, S. (2001). Service learning in preschool: An intergenerational project
involving five-year-olds, fifth graders, and senior citizens. Early Childhood Education
doi:http://dx.doi.org.tcsedsystem.idm.oclc.org/10.1023/A:1009538708148
Gonzalez-Mena, J. (2008). Diversity in early care and education: Honoring differences. Boston:
McGraw-Hill.
PBS., (1988). Mcneal Lehrer News Hour. [Video source] Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsHXIPyG6yI&feature=youtu.be
Portacolone, E. & Halpern, J., (2014). Move or suffer. Journal of Applied Gerontology. Vol 35,
Prine, J., (1971). Hello in there. On John Prine [CD]. Memphis, TN: Atlantic.
Sahin, D., (2015). Poignant moments unfold at a preschool in a retirement home. CNN.
Zeng, Z., & Xie, Y., (2014). The effects of grandparents on children's schooling: Evidence from
doi:http://dx.doi.org.tcsedsystem.idm.oclc.org/10.1007/s13524-013-0275-4