Know more. Do more. A call for age friendly communities: Examining the potential of Intergenerational Care Programs in the Australian setting Radford K, Fitzgerald A, Vecchio N, Cartmel J, Harris N, Golenko X. Griffith Business School, Griffith University, Gold Coast

Intergenerational care team Dr Katrina Radford Prof Janna Anneke Fitzgerald Dr Nerina Vecchio Dr Xanthe Golenko Professor Wendy Moyle Dr Tracy Comans Associate Professor Neil Harris Dr Paul Harris Dr Jennifer Cartmel Ms Dianne Holman-Taylor Ms Liz Drew Dr Judy McCrow Professor Susan Kurrle Dr Dianne Goeman Lee-Fay Low Acknowledgment: The authors would like to acknowledge the Hornsby Ku-ring-gai hospital and health fund for their support and the consumers who have been willingly given their time and valuable input. Funding for this project has been awarded through Dementia and Aged Care (DAC) Services Research and Innovation Funding Round.

Introduction Intergenerational care programs bring together older adults and children in the same setting for the specific purpose of learning together and from one another. The psychological benefits are well documented in the literature; however, little is known about the business case behind creating an intergenerational care program in Australia. To address this gap, preliminary research was undertaken to investigate different modes of intergenerational care and their sustainability with in the Australian context in terms of legislative barriers, educational programs and funding models. Widespread adoption of intergenerational care programs in Australia is likely to improve the inclusivity of older adults and improve childhood outcomes.

Experts identified two main alternative models of Intergenerational care Visitation mode: Programs where both generations (younger and older) live off site and separate from each other and one group travels to the other group’s place of gathering for a shared purpose. Shared mode (on single site): Programs that provide both aged care and child care services on the same site, and either visit each other by walking down the hall or driveway or, both come to a shared location to receive care.

Education programs A review of the literature revealed there is opportunity to develop a new educational framework designed specifically to: Offer meaningful reciprocal interactions between older adults and children Match adult educational needs with children’s needs to appeal to both groups Promote collective and individual learning processes which enhance mood, improve skills in literacy and knowledge, improved mobility, increased sense of worth in both older and younger participants Intergenerational care educational program would need to be play-based, and rely on spontaneous interactions.

Legislative challenges A study investigating the legislative requirements for both aged care and child care identified potential legislative barriers in relation to two key areas: 1. Workforce: Differences in staff competencies between the childcare and aged care workforces and qualifications specific to each area. There was also an identified potential for intergenerational care worker to prioritise child needs over older persons’ needs 2. Built environment: Design of the building and shared space compliance with both child care and aged care requirements including amenities such as laundries, bathrooms, toilets etc.

Legislative challenges Both of these potential barriers can be overcome with careful planning and consultation with participants, families, the community and industry experts. In addition, there is opportunity to create new career paths connecting child care and aged care certifications between the two workforces.

Demand There was little detail in the literature about funding structure required, therefore a willingness to pay study was conducted to examine care preferences among a sample of 816 Australians. Findings revealed: There was demand for both visiting campus and co-located campus models. On average people were willing to pay more per session for both models. Parents were more likely to take up intergenerational care compared to the status quo, and adult carers reported a higher willingness to pay for these services.

Trial of Intergenerational Care The trial involves the development, implementation and evaluation of an intergenerational learning program specifically designed to benefit older people with or without cognitive decline (and carers) and younger children (3-5 years) in day care settings. The trial will be conducted across four intervention sites and two control sites located within QLD and NSW. This research aims to investigate the potential benefits for the research participants and their carers and the potential benefits for workforce development and economic implications for service providers and the broader community.

Conclusion Findings suggest that the creation of a formal program to fit the current legislation framework in Australia requires some consideration and thought, however it is possible. This will provide consumers with a wider range of formal care options that better suit the diverse care needs of Australians. Indeed, creating an intergenerational care program may improve the overall experience of ageism and create age friendly communities, as well as result in a range of benefits for children and the elderly. This is likely to improve inclusivity of older adults with cognitive decline in the future.