Life is sometimes just plain interesting.

Last night my neighbor, who is one of those ubiquitous Texas singer/songwriters, and his band were playing at Wimberley’s single source of nightlife. It was the launch of their new album of original songs. Neither my wife nor sons were able to attend but I wanted to be there to support my friend. My friend’s 80 plus year old mother was also there.

Dancing to All Ages

And that was the interesting part. That bar held at least four generations, from the people dancing on the dance floor, to the band members, to my friend’s mother we spanned at least 60 years.

We worry about the isolation of the elders due to reduced mobility (Gusmano & Rodwin, 2006) and the isolation of the millennials due to excessive emersion in digital media (Shotick & Stephens, 2005), but last night we came together, had fun and conversation, all without planned government intervention* or the intercession of social science professionals**.

This is not to say that isolation and loneliness are not issues of aging as they are serious problems for many elders. It is to say that there are natural ways people interact and those natural connections have no age barriers.

I bet that if each of us reached out to all ages at all times then many issues of aging would be minimized.

Notes

* As an example, see the US Environmental Protection Agency Aging Initiative Intergenerational Activities web site (http://www.epa.gov/aging/ia).

** As an example, see the Intergenerational Activities Sourcebook from Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences (http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/freepubs/pdfs/agrs91.pdf). This is a good source for ideas to get kids and elders playing together.

References

  1. Borges, NJ. Comparing Millennial and Generation X Medical Students at One Medical School. Academic Medicine,  June 2006, 81, 6, 571-576 (http://journals.lww.com/academicmedicine/Abstract/2006/06000/Comparing_Millennial_and_Generation_X_Medical.15.aspx).
  2. Eubanks, S. Millennials – Themes in Current Literature. Originally prepared for Azusa Pacific University, April 24, 2006 and revised for general release 8/06 (http://eubie.com/themes.pdf).
  3. Gusmano, MK & Rodwin, VG. The Elderly and Social Isolation. Testimony to Committee on Aging, NYC Council February 13, 2006 (http://wagner.nyu.edu/faculty/testimony/rodwinNycCouncil021106.pdf).
  4. Shotick, J & Stephens, P. Do Students Use Technology Wisely? From NASPA’s NetResults, December 21, 2005 (http://www.fresnostate.edu/studentaffairs/programs/studentactivities/documents/Technology%5b1%5d.pdf.).

Image

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