Intergenerational Horticultural Program

An Intergenerational Horticultural Program in a rural community in Korea was tried out to enhance social interaction between elderly citizens and children, to promote the positive self-esteem of the elderly in a rural community, to change the attitude of children towards the elderly, and to create a rural community full of vitality. The clients were 20 elderly (60-80 years old) and 40 preschool children (6-7 years old). The activities in this program included seed of hope, round autumn garden, dish garden, in the vegetable patch, flower decoration for the Chuseok Festival, rainbow flower basket, heart card, fragrance of love, and a kimchi party. The results were a decrease in depression among the elderly from 44.0% to 33.7%. General satisfaction among the elderly was 100%. The desire to rejoin among the elderly was 100%. General satisfaction among the children was 100%. The desire to rejoin among the children was 93.5%.