Status Solutions and the School Solutions Network are promoting intergenerational engagement to enrich the lives of seniors and youth.
Since our inception we at Status Solutions have been committed to the belief that the most important technologies are those that promote well-being and bring people together. As the ideas of intergenerational engagement have taken hold in both the educational and senior living communities Status Solutions has continued to stay true to this vision through the creation of the School Solutions Network and by employing technological solutions to promote a healthy and interconnected society.
According to Generations United, an organization that promotes programs and policies that encourage intergenerational engagement, intergenerational engagement is defined as “practices (that) increase cooperation, interaction and exchange between people of different generations, allowing the sharing of their talents and resources, and supporting each other in relationships that benefit both the individuals and their community.” As humans, we have an innate desire to be needed. Encouraging people to interact across age groups allows people to participate in meaningful relationships regardless of age. Whether it is teaching or sharing life experiences these interactions stimulate friendships and the benefits extend across age groups. Studies have shown that seniors involved in intergenerational programs are more optimistic, feel less isolated, have greater social networks, report better health outcomes, and score better on cognitive tests.
At Status Solutions we’ve created the School Solutions Network to empower individuals to have greater connections with their communities.
We designed the School Solutions Network as a way to harness community engagement with the technical expertise of Status Solutions in order to holistically identify and address schools’ unique needs. The Network connects schools and community stakeholders so they can collaborate in ways that foster safer environments and encourage intergenerational engagement. Because we serve both schools and senior living facilities we are in unique position to bring these two communities together.
One of the ways the School Solutions Network has connected seniors and youth is through our CATIE training.
CATIE (Communication and Access To Information Everywhere) enables residents to stay engaged and connected. CATIE is a self-service kiosk that provides digitized content, email with voice reply and customizable buttons to improve communication and access to services for senior living residents. Using CATIE, residents can send pictures and emails to friends, check what’s for lunch, see what activities are available on site, and much more. This solution was designed specifically to address many of the problems associated with senior isolation. To further tackle senior isolation the School Solutions Network is currently training local high school students on CATIE so they can assist with training local senior living residents. This is just one example of how Status Solutions and School Solutions Network are working to bring communities together and to promote intergenerational engagement.
At Status Solutions we remain committed to strengthening social networks and communities. Based on countless studies and our own personal experience we’ve seen first hand the positive effects of intergenerational engagement. We believe that healthy communities are communities that are safe and connected. We are proud and excited of the work we’ve done, and look forward to expanding the School Solutions Network to bring people of all ages together.
