Claire O'Connell

Today’s normalisation of our older demographic being continuously identified within aged-communities or the residential home, has contributed an easy disregard towards their place amongst the wider community. As a result, many older individuals experience negative effects towards their sense of self-worth, identity and wellbeing. In response to this, Intergenerational Exchange aims to establish place within a shared intergenerational environment to facilitate our older demographic to maintaining connection to the wider community when they reach this life stage, informing a positive, purposeful and continuous quality of life. Located within the Central Quad of the former Karori Teachers College, and future Ryman Healthcare Retirement Village, Intergenerational Exchange represents a community hub that promotes engagement and the exchange of embodied knowledge between generations to take place through programs of practice-based learning activity. The naturalization of this scene therefore aims to further influence our wider community environments; establishing age-diverse acceptance, connection, and affirmation of the present and ongoing identities of older individuals throughout New Zealand.