Active Aging for L.I.F.E. An Intergenerational Public Health Initiative Addressing Perceptions and Behaviors Around Longevity, Independence, Fitness, and Engagement

Objective: Active aging involves staying engaged in life in a number of ways, including maintaining independence, physical and mental fitness, and social engagement. This investigation highlights Active Aging for L.I.F.E., an intergenerational pilot health initiative developed and implemented in the state of Oklahoma. Subject and Methods: Program participants included college students 18 to 25 years of age (n = 20) and older adults older than 65 years (n = 23) who attended a 4-part speaker series focused on the domains of longevity, independence, fitness, and engagement and participated in a pre-/postsurvey. Results: College-aged students reported greater changes in their perception of an individual's role in the aging process than the older adults, and differences between genders were also identified. This pilot determined that attitudes about active aging can be changed through education for both college-aged students and older adults.