Experiences of participating in intergenerational interventions in older people's care settings: A systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative literature

Aims: To synthesize the findings of qualitative research exploring the experiences of being involved in intergenerational interventions in older people's care settings. Design: A meta-synthesis of the qualitative literature, employing Sandelowski and Barroso's method, was conducted. Data Sources: Eight databases were searched in March 2017. Review Methods: The PRISMA statement was used for reporting the different phases of the literature search and the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) qualitative research checklist was used as an appraisal framework. Data synthesis was conducted using Sandelowski and Barroso's method. Results: Four qualitative studies were included in the meta-synthesis. Thematic analysis revealed four themes: ‘Recreating the family’; ‘Building intergenerational empathy and respect’; ‘Uplifting and energizing’; and ‘Engagement risks and challenges’. Conclusion: The meta-synthesis strengthens the evidence that intergenerational interventions can be positive. However, it also shows that there may also be some negative aspects if not planned or managed carefully. Impact: This review contributes to the body of evidence by synthesizing the experiences of older people and children involved in intergenerational interventions. Although qualitative literature supports the quantitative evidence that intergenerational interventions can have a positive effect, intergenerational interventions could also have negative effects on some participants. Older people may feel tired, or experience feelings of infantilization. Practitioners need to be more aware of the potential negative effects of intergenerational interventions and include risk assessment, possibly by requiring ethical scrutiny.