Intergenerational Wellness: A Concept Analysis Using Rodgers's Evolutionary Method

Intergenerational contact is critical to the health and wellness of individuals across the life course. Multigenerational and communal living has declined, particularly in Western societies, leading to decreased contact between generations and increased isolation of older adults. Intergenerational wellness programs are designed to build or sustain relationships between children or young adults and older adults to promote wellness; however, the concept of intergenerational wellness has evolved over time. We used Rodgers's evolutionary method to examine the concept of intergenerational wellness. The key attribute of intergenerational wellness is meaningful interactions between individuals of one or more generations to support holistic health. Defining attributes included sharing and passing down cultural traditions and life lessons, life review, companionship and emotional support, volunteering, and mentorship. Surrogate and related terms included interactions between generations, a life course perspective, aging well, and generativity. Antecedents included cultural aspects and theoretical approaches. The benefits of contact with individuals across different age groups has resulted in a proliferation of programs designed to enhance intergenerational wellness. Findings from the current analysis underscore the complexity of this concept and how differently it has been both operationalized and implemented across programs in the past decade.