ISSN 2477-1686
Vol. 9 No. 10 Mei 2023
ScrippsAVID
Arts-based, Virtual, Intergenerational, Dementia-friendly
By
Elizabeth Lokon1 & Christiany Suwartono2
1Scripps Gerontology Center, Miami University, Ohio, United States
2Center for the Study of Sustainable Community, Faculty of Psychology, Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
Source: Scripps Gerontology Center, Miami University
What is ScrippsAVID?
ScrippsAVID is an Arts-based, Virtual, Intergenerational, Dementia-friendly program developed by Scripps Gerontology Center at Miami University in 2022. It connects people across generations to share art, music, poetry, and stories. Pairs of ScrippsAVID users review and select from a series of engaging conversational prompts to have fun, be creative, and build intergenerational friendships. It was developed with the goals of reducing loneliness and ageism.
Reducing loneliness
Even prior to the social isolation wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic, the “loneliness epidemic” presented a major U.S. public health concern. Loneliness is associated with significantly increased risk of premature mortality from all causes, risk of developing dementia, hospitalization, emergency room visits, coronary heart disease, and stroke (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, Medicine, 2020; Office of the Surgeon General, 2023).
The National Academies (2020) define social isolation as “the objective lack of (or limited) social contact with others”; whereas loneliness is defined as “a subjective feeling of being isolated” (p. 3). Although the two concepts may seem related, they are not significantly correlated. A person with few social contacts may not feel lonely, or a person can feel lonely without being socially isolated.
Loneliness is a social concern affecting all generations. A national survey of 10,000 Americans in 2020 reports that younger people are lonelier than older people (Cigna, 2020). Nearly eight in 10 people in their teens-20s (79%) and seven in 10 people in their 30s-40s (71%) are lonely, compared to 50% of people in their 50s-70s. Fortunately, a national survey of over 2,000 Americans aged 18 and older shows 92% believe intergenerational engagement can reduce loneliness across all generations (Generations United & the Eisner Foundation, 2018). ScrippsAVID was developed to capitalize on the potential of intergenerational engagement to reduce loneliness.
Reducing Ageism
The World Health Organization (n.d.) defines ageism as “the stereotypes (how we think), prejudice (how we feel) and discrimination (how we act) towards others or oneself based on age.” Age segregation in our society has resulted in people across generations seeing each other as strangers, contributing to ageism in both directions. Jarrott et al. (2022, p. 1040) describe the development of ageism as a series of falling dominoes, in which “age segregation results in ageist stereotypes that lead to avoidance of older adults and eventual self-embodiment of those stereotypes, which can result in poorer health in late life.” Decades of research on ageism shows its negative effects go beyond one’s own health and mortality. Ageism also contributes to low interest in careers in aging, poor treatment of older adults in healthcare settings, workplace discrimination, and elder abuse, among other social problems (Jarrott et al., 2022).
Studies have shown that intergenerational experiences that place people in direct contact with members of groups to which he/she does not belong, i.e. outgroups, can facilitate learning about human similarities and increase positive attitudes toward the outgroup members (e.g., Lokon et al., 2020, 2017, 2012). ScrippsAVID was built based on these findings.
ScrippsAVID in Indonesia
Thanks to the Fulbright Scholar award, Dr. Elizabeth Lokon, the developer of ScrippsAVID, was able to bring the program to Indonesia. In collaboration with Dr. Christiany Suwartono and her team at Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia and the Center for the Study of Sustainable Community, we have adapted ScrippsAVID for use in Indonesia. The current pilot version consists of 56 prompts in six categories (Mari Mengobrol, Seni Visual, Musik, Berbagi Cerita, Puisi, Menulis). ScrippsAVID in Indonesia will be used to reduce loneliness and build relationships across different groups including teenagers, college students, families, faculty members, and older adults. Impact of ScrippsAVID on these user groups will be assessed by Dr. Suwartono and her team.
To Learn More about ScrippsAVID
· Visit pilot website: https://avid.scrippsoma.xyz/
· In the U.S., contact: Krysta Peterson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 440-340-8537
· In Indonesia, contact: Christiany Suwartono at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Source: Scripps Gerontology Center, Miami University.
References:
Cigna (2020). Loneliness and the work place. https://www.cigna.com/static/www-cigna-com/docs/about-us/newsroom/studies-and-reports/combatting-loneliness/cigna-2020-loneliness-factsheet.pdf
Jarrott, S.E., Leedahl, S.N., Shovali, T.E., De Fries, C., DelPo, A., Estus, E. et al. Gangji, C., Hasche, L., Juris, J., MacInnes, R., Schilz, M., Scrivano, R.M., Steward, A., Taylor, C. & Walker, A. (2022) Intergenerational Programming during the pandemic: Transformation during (constantly) changing times. Journal of Social Issues, 78, 1038–1065. https://doi.org/10.1111/josi.12530
Lokon, E., Mehrotra, V., Murali, S. & Oakman, R. [Manuscript submitted for publication]. Using Art and Technology to Address Loneliness and Bridge the Age Divide. Scripps Gerontology Center, Miami University.
Lokon, E., Li, Y. & Kunkel, S. (2020). Increasing college students’ “liking” of older adults with dementia through arts-based service learning experience. Gerontology and Geriatrics Education, 41(4), 494-507. doi: 10.1080/02701960.2018.1515740
Lokon, E., Li, Y., & Parajuli, J. (2017). Using art in an intergenerational program to improve students’ attitudes toward people with dementia. Gerontology and Geriatrics Education 38(4), pp. 407-424. doi: 10.1080/02701960.2017.1281804.
Lokon, E., Kinney, J. M, & Kunkel, S. (2012). Building Bridges across Age and Cognitive Barriers through Art: College Students’ Reflections on an Intergenerational Program with Elders who Have Dementia. Journal of Intergenerational Relationships, 10(4), pp. 337-354. DOI: 10.1080/15350770.2012.724318.
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (2020). Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults: Opportunities for the Health Care System. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/25663.
Office of the Surgeon General (2023). Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation: The Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community. Washington, DC: Author.
World Health Organization. (n.d.). Ageing: Ageism. World Health Organization. Retrieved January 24, 2023, from https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/ageing-ageism
