Impact of intergenerational programmes on older adults for active ageing. A systematic review

Abstract

Introduction: Ageing is a process that covers the entire life cycle of a human being and that, around old age, is usually accompanied by negative stereotypes, social isolation and a feeling of loneliness, resulting in a rupture between diverse generations. Intergenerational programs have been used to address this concern to pursue active ageing. Objetive: Analyze the impact of intergenerational programs on the ageing process to achieve cohesive societies for all ages and thus promote the active ageing model. Material and methods: A systematic review has been prepared, the search of which was carried out in the Pubmed, Web of Science, Scopus, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Libary databases, that included studies published between 2014 and 2025. A total of 3.144 articles were identified, of which 290 underwent selection according to title and abstract, leaving 72 that were evaluated for eligibility, according to the inclusion criteria. Results: A total of 8 articles were valid for inclusion. The methodological quality of the studies was low to moderate, although most research reported improvements in participants' well-being after participation in an intergenerational program. Conclusions: Intergenerational programs provided biopsychosocial benefits to generations of different ages, which helped enhance the pursuit of active ageing in order to establish strong connections in the community.