The Experience of Aging, Part VI - Intergenerational and Aging Training
The introduction to the Macklin Intergenerational Institute on Aging states:
"The Macklin Intergenerational Institute provides compassionate care and spontaneous exchanges that result in contact between and among the generations. It's called intergenerational programming - a place where the young and old come together to share their talents, knowledge, and resources allowing their unique personal knowledge, experiences, and expectations to shape their interactions. Intergenerational programming offers an opportunity for generations to come together and to celebrate the uniqueness of one another. The Macklin Institute's mission is: To continually improve the lives of all ages through multi-age programming, care, community relationships, and creative communication."
Dr. Vicki Rosebrook of the Macklin Institute has developed an experiential learning workshop during which participants are provided with exercises that allow them to experience the functional limitations of an elderly person. Physical limitation, visual and auditory impairments, sensory distortions, cognitive impairments, and profound personal losses are all accurately simulated to replicate the experience of the older adult. Once the "impairments" are put in place, participants are given tasks to accomplish in their "aged" state.
Walking with corn kernels in their shoes, having joints tightly bandaged to limit movement, wearing glasses smeared with oil, wearing heavy gloves to minimize finger and hand movement all contribute to diminish capacity and functional ability. All frustrate the participant who begins to understand...and hopefully develop empathy and compassion for...the elderly.
According to Dr. Rosebrook, "Participants are empowered to identify and challenge common myths and stereotypes related to aging, participate in simulated experiences as an Elder, and develop strategies to help build enhanced Elder relationships."
http://www.mackliniginstitute.org/xtremeaging.aspx