Table 2, summarises what is known about the beneficial outcomes of direct and indirect intergenerational contact reviewed in this section and when and how they are most successful. Table 2 includes insights that may be relevant for practitioners that are organising intergenerational projects. We also suggest implications for policy makers. There is more research for some types of contact than others (e.g. there are more studies on family contact than intergenerational friendships) so the table does not necessarily imply equal weight on all points or conclusions.
Table 2. Summary of evidence from intergenerational contact research Type of
intergenerational contact
Outcomes When it works
best
How it works Value for
intergenerational contact programmes Policy value Contact with non-family older adults in everyday life
More positive explicit attitudes about older adults.
More positive implicit attitudes about older adults.
More positive stereotyping of older adults.
More intentions to donate to older adults’ charities. More intentions to help older adults (e.g. tax increases to help older adults, donation to older adults charity or direct help; crossing the road, carrying shopping).
More intentions to spend time with older adults.
More positive expectations about future contact.
More intentions to volunteer in general.
More intentions to be helpful to others in general.
Less patronising speech towards older adults.
Improves older adults’ cognitive and performance.
Good quality contact (regardless of frequency). Frequent contact alone not sufficient.
Reduces intergroup anxiety. Reduces ageing anxiety. Reduces intergroup anxiety Increases self- disclosure Increases empathy
If contact cannot be regular, ensuring that it is high quality contact can help improve outcomes.
Reducing ageism, and wider prosocial effects such as increased charity donations and
volunteering.
Prevents stereotype threat, therefore preserves older people’s cognitive performance under test conditions.
Type of intergenerational
contact
Outcomes When it works
best
How it works Value for
intergenerational contact programmes
Policy value
Friendships More positive explicit attitudes towards older adults.
More positive stereotyping of older adults.
Less benevolent stereotyping (e.g. patronizing) of older adults More positive perceptions of providing elder care and studying ageing.
More likely for British women than men.
More likely for European men than women. More likely in wealthy countries with high proportion of older adults. Less likely in urbanised areas.
No evidence. Most powerful type of direct intergenerational contact. Likelihood varies depending on personal and societal characteristics.
Most powerful type of direct intergenerational contact, yet under- researched. Intergenerational friendships are relatively unusual.
Important influence on positive perceptions of providing health and social care for older people and studying ageing.
Coworker contact
More positive explicit attitudes towards older adults.
More positive stereotyping of older coworkers and older adults in general.
Less benevolent stereotyping (e.g. patronizing) of older coworkers and older adults in general.
More intentions to help and cooperate with coworkers. More support of age-diversity at work.
More positive attitudes towards elder care.
Less ageing anxiety. Less turnover intentions.
Frequency of contact (independently). Good quality of contact. Reduces ageing anxiety.
More frequent contact at work is beneficial. NB: Older adults involved likely to be closer to middle- age.
Demonstrates value of age-diversity in the workplace.
Positive outcomes for organisations.
Type of intergenerational
contact
Outcomes When it works
best
How it works Value for
intergenerational contact programmes Policy value Health and social care (H&SC) contact
More positive explicit attitudes towards older adults in general. More positive explicit attitudes towards older people receiving care (e.g. care home residents). More benevolent stereotyping of older patients
More intentions to help and cooperation with coworkers. Higher job satisfaction.
More contact at work linked to more positive attitudes. When contact is positive. Negative contact increases ageism of care home residents and older adults in general. Increases empathy. Increases shared humour. Increases perspective taking. Increases sharing personal information with older adult H&SC contact partners.
Important outcomes for well-being and shared understanding if good quality intergenerational contact is enabled as part of workplace management
Understanding of contact in H&SC contact is required as it can have both positive and negative outcomes.
Can have positive outcomes for health and social care organisations, which may help retain staff and increase work
harmony.
More research required on experiences of older adults in H&SC.
Research findings have potential to influence ‘care partnership’ model of care. H&SC workers with long experience are important to retain.
Type of intergenerational
contact
Outcomes When it works
best
How it works Value for
intergenerational contact programmes
Policy value
Family contact More positive explicit attitudes towards older adults.
More knowledge about ageing. Potentially more ageing anxiety in younger people.
Less tolerance of elder abuse. More support for older adults’ public policies.
Improves older adults’ cognitive performance, mental and general health.
Less loneliness and depression in older people.
More positive attitudes towards older adults’ sexuality.
More interest in studying ageing. Protects against stereotype threat. Contact needs to be both good quality and frequent. Greater parental encouragement. Increases awareness of age differences. When older adults story telling about the past. Increases perspective taking. Improves communication quality. Encourages viewing grandparents as individuals. Reduces anxiety about interaction with grandparents. Increases perception of shared family identity.
Intergenerational
cohabitation has positive effects for older adults but negative effects for younger adults (increases ageing anxiety).
Working with older adults (age-diversity) has a larger impact on positive attitudes towards older adults than family contact.
Extended contact
More positive explicit attitudes towards older adults.
Improves older adults’ cognitive performance.
Protects against stereotype threat.
No evidence. Reduced intergroup anxiety.
Reduced ageing anxiety.
Increased perception that other young people believe it is positive and acceptable to have friendships with older adults (social norms).
Using extended contact before intergenerational contact programmes could reduce anxiety and form a valuable ‘first-step’ to contact.
Extended contact can be used to expand the benefits of programmes to a wider audience. Post-programme peer communication of positive experiences during the direct intergenerational contact programmes can positively influence a wider range of young people’s attitudes.
Awareness of peers’ intergenerational friendships can reduce anxiety about future intergenerational contact and anxiety about growing older, and thus make future contact more likely. Preserves older people’s cognitive performance.
Type of intergenerational
contact
Outcomes When it works
best
How it works Value for
intergenerational contact programmes
Policy value
Imagined contact
Improves explicit attitudes towards older adults. Improves implicit attitudes towards older adults.
Increases positive stereotyping of older adults.
Increases intentions to have future intergenerational contact. Improves intergenerational communication skills.
Improves older adults’ cognitive performance.
Protects against stereotype threat. Imagine the encounter in detail (elaborated contact). Imagine contact with eyes closed. Imagine contact from a third-person perspective.
Using imagined contact before intergenerational contact programmes could reduce anxiety and form a valuable ‘first-step’ to contact.
It is cost effective and easy to run.
Imagined contact can protect against stereotype threat - useful in
healthcare situations, so preserves older people’s cognitive and physical performance.