Intergenerational communication and elderly well-being

Background: Mental fitness and well‐being are essential elements of human life. They help humans overcome hardships and fulfill their desires successfully. This study looked at the effects of interaction with children on well‐being among the elderly. Methods: A quasi‐experimental pretest‐posttest control group design was employed, and the institutionalized elderly were selected using a purposive sampling method. They were then allocated equally into experimental and control groups. Children included in the study were selected based on a validated rating scale that measured their attitude towards the elderly. The WHO (five) well‐being index was used to gather data. The elderly in the experimental group had an opportunity to interact with the children once a week for 12 weeks whereas the control group didn't have access to the children. Results: There was a significant difference (P <0.001) in the mean posttest scores of well‐being among the elderly in the experimental group (81.76±11.56) when compared to the control group (37.02±14.13). Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that the interaction with children promotes well‐being among the elderly. Interaction of children with the elderly residing in the elderly homes can be included as a part of the curriculum in schools and it may contribute to the holistic development of children's attitude.