Amid a climate of division and inequity in American society, we are also lonelier than ever. But connection, particularly across age, gender, ethnic, and socioeconomic divides, lays the foundation to address social inequities and create a better future for all. Intergenerational programs combat loneliness while bridging our many divides, laying the groundwork for structural change while creating immediate, concrete benefits for individuals that counteract structural inequities in health, education, housing, and more.
The pessimists among us say the future is bleak. In the United States, children face structural challenges disproportionately affecting communities of color and low-income populations that impede their access to education, safety, healthcare, and economic opportunity. Our aging population, inelegantly referred to as a “silver tsunami” (Greenlee, 2020), faces an uncertain future as the social safety net becomes increasingly precarious. These inequities grow as income inequality, inflation, and climate change loom and divisions heighten. Meanwhile, we are lonelier than ever, with potentially catastrophic physical and mental health implications. […]
Click here to read to the full piece. This story was originally published by Generations Today on February 13, 2024.
