Back To School!

Intergenerational can be little more than a buzzword slapped onto feel-good, one-and-done programming, but meaningful intergenerationality can change how we live and thrive. In this episode of Wrinkle Radio, host Dr. Sally Chivers goes back to school with Dr. Elizabeth Russell, Associate Professor of Psychology at Trent University, who invites local older adults to join her undergraduate class for an entire semester. We talk about: What actually happens when older adults sit in the room every week as full participants How small, playful activities create serious connection Shifting what Elizabeth calls age consciousness for everyone, older adults included The promise of what Sally calls naturally occurring intergenerational spaces (NOISE!) This episode shows what happens when intergenerational connections are sustained, reciprocal, and real, leading to friendships that last beyond the term, along with renewed hope for “kids these days” and the future they’re inheriting. Tune in to hear how one course is quietly reshaping what an intergenerational university can be. Wrinkle Radio is a proud member of the Amplify Podcast Network. We are grateful for funding from the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada and support from Aging in Data and VoicEd Radio. Intro and interlude music by Duce Williams and Jamison Dewlen (via Artlist). Outro music by Michael Shayne (via Artlist).