Evaluating the Age-Friendly Scholars Program

Background and Purpose:

As the global population ages, it's essential to understand the needs of older adults and the value of intergenerational communities, informing policy and program development, promoting social inclusion and health, addressing economic challenges, and creating environments that support older adults to live fulfilling and active lives. Research in this area draws upon various disciplines to comprehensively address the complex needs and challenges of creating inclusive communities.

A WHO-recognized Age-Friendly community in a mid-Atlantic state developed an Age-Friendly Scholars Program (AFSP) to address the importance of nurturing the next generation of leaders in combatting ageism and promoting greater inclusivity across age groups. Nine undergraduate and graduate students across disciplines (social work, health sciences, engineering, occupational therapy, information systems) from four local universities were chosen to participate in a two-semester program including didactic and experiential learning about ageism and advocacy. This study examined the impact of the first AFSP on the Scholars’ personal, professional, and academic lives.

Methods:
A convergent parallel mixed-methods design was used to assess the impact of AFSP. A pretest-posttest one-group design was used to assess changes in attitudes and beliefs about older adults using the AgeSmart Inventory. Paired sample t-tests were conducted to determine whether there were changes from start to finish. A focus group conducted after the program collected narratives about the changes that the program brought to their personal and professional lives.

Results:

Paired-sample t-tests showed that the participants had positive changes in attitudes and beliefs on aging and ageism. Participants showed significant change in thought regarding ‘separating people within workspaces and communities based on age’ (t=5.073, p<.001***); held more positive attitudes towards older adults (t=-2.475, p<.05*); reported less ageist stereotypes (t=3.285, p<.01**); and had more positive thoughts about aging (7.182, p<.001***). Participants did not show any changes in their attitude toward the language used to describe aging. Participants reported being more equipped to incorporate age-related issues into their existing work; at baseline, only one participant reported being ‘extremely equipped’ to incorporate aging/ageism issues into their existing work’ at the beginning of the program while at the post-test, seven (78%) of the participants did.

In the focus group, all participants mentioned changes in their personal and academic life due to participating in the program. Some of the common responses were around awareness of ageism, tactfully correcting their family and friends, and increased sensitivity to the needs of the older adult community. Each participant mentioned how their participation led to changes in their daily lives and academic careers. They also spoke about their roles as influencers in bringing forward more age-friendly communities.

Conclusions and Implications: This outcome evaluation verified the effectiveness of AFSP suggesting that attending group learning sessions on aging and ageism, networking with the older adult community, and engaging with the broader research community enabled the development of skills, knowledge, and networks needed to make meaningful contributions to communities and advocacy efforts. AFSP helps create age-friendly research environments that support healthy aging, social inclusion, and the well-being of individuals across the lifespan.