Development of intergenerational interaction to provide security to the elderly and the future of the youth

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26560021
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Home economics/Human life
• Research Institution: Kobe University
• Principal Investigator: KATAGIRI Keiko 神戸大学, 人間発達環境学研究科, 准教授 (80591742)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 異世代間交流 / コミュニケーション / ホームシェア / 社会的孤独

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Japan, the most aged society in the world, is experiencing a rapid increase in the number of senior households. With younger family members moving far away and communities lacking social interaction, many elderly individuals and couples are unable to continue living in their homes. This study focuses on “Homeshare,” a program that encourages young people to live in the elderly’s homes and examines the possibility of effectively introducing this in Japan.
First, a social survey of urban dwellers showed that motivation for intergenerational changes was higher among the elderly, suggesting that strong incentives for younger individuals is necessary. Second, communication experiments conclude that setting has an important effect on intergenerational communication. Finally, a fair and neutral agency acting as a facilitator for arrangements between the two generations would ease the process of cohabiting in the form of Homeshare.

Free Research Field

社会老年学、社会心理学