BUILDING GENERATIONAL BRIDGES: BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES OF INCLUDING ELDERLY PEOPLE IN UNIVERSITY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1590/SciELOPreprints.11160Keywords:
Intergenerationality, university practices, elderly persons, Age-Friendly University Global NetworkAbstract
As populations age, universities have the opportunity to become inclusive spaces for older adults—whether as students, professionals, or participants in community-based initiatives such as extension projects. This study aimed to systematize academic research on intergenerationality in university environments. The specific objectives were to explore the benefits and challenges of intergenerational relationships within this context and to evaluate whether existing practices align with the ten principles of the Age-Friendly University Global Network. This research was conducted as an integrative literature review. Searches were carried out in the PubMed, Scopus, and VHL databases between September and October 2024. Inclusion criteria required scientific articles featuring participants from the academic community, focusing on intergenerational relationships, their practices, and outcomes, published within the last decade. A total of 15 articles were selected for review. The findings highlighted numerous benefits of intergenerational practices, with most studies identifying ageism as the primary challenge. However, five of the ten principles of the Age-Friendly University Global Network were absent from the intergenerational practices reviewed. The lack of robust intergenerational initiatives within university settings, particularly in environments without extension projects, underscores the urgent need for policies and practices that foster meaningful intergenerational connections.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Roberta Andrade e Barros, Natália de Cássia Horta , Lídia Di Bella, Maria Teresinha de Oliveira Fernandes, Marina Celly Martins Ribeiro de Souza, Isabela Rodrigues dos Anjos Silva

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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