ABSTRACT
For centuries the way society conveyed culture, values and the means of survival has been through the enculturation of the young by the elderly. In today's society this process is of enduring importance. However, factors such as increased mobility often limit the interaction of older adults with youths. The networks of economic, educational and cultural interdependence supported by households and neighborhoods composed of grandparents, parents and children have largely disappeared. Job mobility and the breakup of many extended families have changed our society from a "front porch" social system to one defined by generational isolation (Creating Intergenerational Coalitions, 1995). Grandparents often live far away, parents work outside the home, and single parent households arc common. Tasks and opportunities that previously drew families together are now handed over to paid professionals, institutions and the government. According to Kaplan (1994) "today's living, learning, and recreation activities separate people according to age. As a result, youth and senior adults share neighborhoods but live in different worlds" (p. 3). An alternate mcthod of fostering interaction between the generations is rapidly becoming part of the American landscape, planned intergenerational programs.
