The intangible outcomes of an intergenerational hackathon for active aging: A case study

Abstract

Ensuring the design process aligns with active aging is as crucial as designing products for older adults promoting active aging. An emerging approach is to bring together OA with younger generations to collaborate on solutions for active aging via intergenerational hackathons. This study explored the intangible outcomes of an intergenerational hackathon aimed at promoting active aging. This hackathon was organized by an interdisciplinary team together with a senior center, and a mixed methods approach was applied to understand the experiences of participants during the hackathon and their reflections. The intangible outcomes were identified and mapped based on the scale of their effects on active aging, indicating intergenerational hackathons could be a lasting approach to foster active aging. Design implications for conducting this type of hackathon were formulated, and we position our findings as the starting point for researchers and practitioners exploring intergenerational hackathons as an approach to active aging.