Active Aging for L.I.F.E.: An Intergenerational Program to Improve Adolescents' Aging Attitudes in Rural Communities

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Gerontology
• Health Literacy

Background:

• Rural adolescents experience health inequities due to limited access to preventive health education and resources.
• Intergenerational engagement and lifelong wellness support are crucial for adolescent health.
• Existing health literacy programs often do not address the unique needs of rural youth.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of the Active Aging for L.I.F.E. program.
• To improve rural adolescents' attitudes toward aging and health.
• To assess the program's impact on health consciousness and intergenerational engagement.

Main Methods:

• A school-based, four-session intergenerational health literacy program (Active Aging for L.I.F.E.) was implemented in three rural schools.
• A train-the-trainer model involved older adults and undergraduate students.
• 86 junior and high school students completed pre- and post-program surveys; 77 finished.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements were observed in students' aging attitudes, perceived relevance of aging topics, and enjoyment of intergenerational interaction.
• Adolescents showed increased awareness of health-promoting behaviors across the lifespan.
• Baseline sex/gender and age-related gaps in health perceptions narrowed post-program, with younger adolescents showing stronger future-oriented attitude shifts.

Conclusions:

• Brief, scalable intergenerational interventions in rural schools can enhance early prevention and health literacy.
• The Active Aging for L.I.F.E. program demonstrates a promising strategy for improving rural public health outcomes.
• Intergenerational programs contribute to community capacity building and support lifelong wellness.