India’s rapidly aging population and the decline of joint family systems have increased social isolation among older adults while weakening intergenerational ties. This brief report describes Sahjeevan-Chaitanya Natyanche (Celebrating Generations), a community-based intergenerational program implemented across 18 villages (population ~31,000) in rural Maharashtra. Using a cascade training model, the program engaged key trainers, master trainers, and peer trainers to promote intergenerational dialogue, adolescent life skills, and elderly self-care. A mixed-method baseline-endline evaluation design was employed, including stratified random sampling and standardized tools such as the WHO-QOL BREF, Social Capital Scale, and Loyola Generativity Scale, complemented by qualitative methods. Findings suggested increases in elders’ self-perceived usefulness, social connectedness, and reported intergenerational engagement. The implementation experience highlights the feasibility of low-cost, locally adapted intergenerational programs in resource-limited rural settings. Integration of such approaches within existing community and primary healthcare systems warrants further systematic evaluation.
Jakasania et al. (2026) studied this question.