Chippendale Tracy
Department of Occupational Therapy, New York University, 35 West 4th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10012, USA.
Curr Gerontol Geriatr Res. 2013;2013:493728. doi: 10.1155/2013/493728. Epub 2013 Aug 21.
The purpose of this study was to pilot an enhanced version of the "Share your Life Story" life review writing workshop. The enhanced version included the addition of an intergenerational exchange, based on the content of seniors' writings, with students planning careers in the health sciences. The researcher employed a mixed methods design. Preliminary results using descriptive analysis revealed an increase in positive images of aging and a decrease in negative images of aging among the five student participants. Qualitative results revealed six themes that illuminate the hows and whys of the quantitative results as well as additional program benefits. Feedback from students and seniors helped to refine the intergenerational protocol for a larger scale study.