Generations This Week

It's not too late to register for our 19th Global Intergenerational Conference. The full program book is now available. Get the details on workshops, pre-conferences, keynotes, evening activities, and more. View the program book to get age-amped and ready to create connections across generations.

For more information or to register for the conference, visit the conference homepage.

Generations United in the News

In his article for the AARP Bulletin, Mike Hedges reported on the opioid epidemic and its impact on grandparents raising grandchildren. His article quoted Donna Butts and Jaia Peterson Lent. Read the article

BBC News shared six alternative ways to fix the childcare problem. The article quotes Donna. Learn more
McKnight's Senior Living highlighted our report with The Eisner Foundation in the article, "Intergenerational relationships benefit everyone in them, report says." Read the article.
Our report was also cited in The Bend Bulletin (Portland, OR) story on the value of intergenerational relationships. Learn more


(PHOTO: Pam Plimpton) Kids and elders grow fruits and vegetables together at a preschool in San Diego County.

I Need You, You Need Me

Report Spotlight: San Diego County

San Diego County is among the examples of intergenerational programs highlighted in our new report, I Need You, You Need Me: The Young, The Old, and What We can Achieve Together.

Some of the most remarkable developments have occurred in San Diego County, where the local government has made age integration a core community value. It all started in 1999. An old woman with no family or friends had died, and county employees were sent to clean out her
house. Learn more

Sign-on Letter for Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act

In May, Senator Susan Collins and Senator Bob Casey introduced the Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act (S.1091). The legislation creates a federal task force to:

Identify and disseminate information about federal resources, information and best practices to help families where grandparents and other relatives are raising children.
Submit a report to Congress on best practices, resources and other information for the families and on gaps in services to meet the families' needs.

Here's the sign-on letter for organizations in support of the bill. To sign your organization onto the letter, please email Adam Otto by Friday, June 23 rd. For additional background information about the bill, read this press release from the Senate Special Committee on Aging, which includes links to the archived hearing that spurred the legislation and a copy of the bill.

A Huge Thanks to Our Members and Supporters

We thank our renewing members, Kraemer Family Library and Sweet Readers, Inc., for their contribution. T ogether, we are building a world that values all generations! You can contribute and/or honor a friend or loved one with a Tribute Gift to Generations United. Donate to help us unleash the potential of an "age-amped" society. If you're an organization, join us!

Apply Today! Be Recognized as a Program of Distinction

Does your intergenerational program meet critical needs in your community? Does it provide clear, meaningful roles for participants of all ages and abilities? Do you go above and beyond to train staff and participants? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, you may have what it takes to be named an intergenerational Program of Distinction! Each year, we recognize outstanding programs across the country that reflect the rich diversity among programs that involve older and younger generations. The deadline to apply is August 1, 2017 . Contact Emily Patrick with any questions. Learn more

Cool Ideas

Youth2Seniors Bear H.U.G.s

This week's cool idea is Texas'Youth 2 Seniors Bear H.U.G.s: Bears Handmade by United Generations program, which has youth and seniors work together to make stuffed animals that are then distributed to other children in need in the community. Learn more

Got something cool you tried that was successful? Why not tweet your cool intergenerational ideas to #cooligideas ? You can also post them to our Intergenerational Connections Facebook Group. We want to highlight innovative age-optimized programs and practices through our blog, social media and weekly e-newsletter! Share the inspiration .

Culture United

Come From Away

Come From Away takes you into the heart of the remarkable true story of 7,000 stranded passengers and the young and old in a Newfoundland small town that welcomed them. Cultures clashed and nerves ran high, but uneasiness turned into trust, music soared into the night and gratitude grew into enduring friendships. Learn more

Culture United highlights films, books, music and TV shows with an intergenerational theme. Do you have any suggestions? Share them with us and we'll share in the weeks and months to come. We welcome responses or reactions. We'll possibly feature them on our blog. See disclaimer.

Vaccine Memes

This meme of actress and director Sarah Michelle Gellar (best known for her starring role in Buffy The Vampire Slayer) is part of Valuing Vaccinations Across Generations , an awareness-raising campaign we launched in the United States through partnerships with the Gerontological Society of America and the American Academy of Pediatrics with support from Pfizer. See more memes .

Generations United is now working with the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute on Gerontology in Japan and the University of Granada in Spain to lead the work in their countries. Follow #bandAGEofhonor and learn more about our campaign.

Think Intergenerational - Funding Opportunities

Lifespan Respite Funding Opportunities

The Administration for Community Living will fund up to two cooperative agreements with a federal funding level of up to $200,000 per award for a 36 month project period. The grant will fund planning, establishing and expanding/enhancing Lifespan Respite Care systems in the states. Deadline: June 14, 2017. Learn more
The Administration for Community Living expects to make 10-15 three-year awards to States who previously have received grants under this program. Grantee will be asked to carefully examine the extent to which their state has a Lifespan Respite System and propose approaches that enable greater realization of such a system. Deadline: July 18, 2017. Learn more

If you have - or know of - any intergenerational funding opportunities, please send them to [email protected]

Think Intergenerational - Great Resources

Research and Resources

Building the Care Economy: Workforce Investments to Expand Access to Affordable, High-Quality and Long-Term Care. This report (from the Georgetown Center on Poverty and Inequality and the Economic Security and Opportunity Initiative) offers proposals that promote the wellbeing of children, older adults, people with disabilities, and their families by creating and sustaining good jobs in the caregiving sector. Learn more

I Need You, You Need Me: The Young, the Old, and What We Can Achieve Together. The new report from Generations United and The Eisner Foundation highlights national examples of pioneers reuniting the generations and making their communities better places to live. Learn more

2017 GrandFacts Sheets. This resource from Generations United and our national advocacy partners is an important starting place for grandparents and other relatives raising children. The GrandFacts Sheets provide state-specific information on local program resources, benefits and data for grandfamilies. Learn more

Events

2017 Global Intergenerational Conference - Generations Remixed. Generations United and St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care. Milwaukee, WI. June 13-16, 2017. Learn more

National Foster Parent Association 2017 Education Conference. NFPA. June 21-24, 2017. Houston, TX. Learn more

The International Association of Geriatrics and Gerontology (IAGG) 2017 World Congress. IAGG and The Gerontological Society of America. San Francisco, CA. July 23-27, 2017. Learn more

Take Off with Respite! 2017 National Lifespan Respite Conference. ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center. Huntsville, AL. Oct. 11-13, 2017. Learn more

2017 Young Adult Services Symposium. Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). Louisville, KY. Nov. 3 -5, 2017. Learn more

International Federation on Ageing 14th Global Conference on Ageing. International Federation on Ageing. Toronto, ON, Canada. Aug. 8-10, 2018. Learn more

Quote

"If you go out in the countryside someplace and build a thousand residential units and have them cheap enough, you'll probably fill the place up. But that's not going to make a community. I think having facilities readily available for people of all kinds, from little kids to the elderly - that's the most important thing of all." ~Robert Simon, founder of Reston, VA

Your Feedback Invited!

We want Generations This Week to be a real resource for you. Please send us any national news on intergenerational issues in addition to upcoming conferences, funding opportunities, reports and webinars. Local and state events can be shared in our Facebook group. Please also let us know how we can improve! Email us at [email protected]. We'd love to hear from you!

Best,

Alan King
Communications Specialist
Generations United

Treat Yourself GRAND!

As a reader of Generations This Week, you are eligible to receive a complimentary subscription to GRAND - The Magazine for Awesome Grandparents.

That's a $26 value for 12 issues delivered right to your inbox. Get valuable offers and inspirational articles like our column on GRAND Families, and more.

Click here for your free subscription and at checkout use this Discount Code: VIP and there will be no charge!