Intergenerational digital storytelling for older adults with cognitive impairment in long-term care: A pilot mixed methods study

Older adults with cognitive impairment in long-term care facilities experience social isolation, limited meaningful engagement, and identity erosion, while nursing students report discomfort and ageist attitudes toward dementia care. Although digital storytelling and intergenerational programs have shown separate benefits, their combined effects remain underexamined in dementia education and care contexts. This pilot convergent mixed methods study evaluated a 10-week intergenerational digital storytelling program as a potential dual-outcome intervention for older adults and nursing students, using a facility-level quasi-experimental design. Older adults with cognitive impairment (N = 40 experimental n = 20 control n = 20) completed measures of engagement, cognitive function, depression, and communication; nursing students (n = 10) completed measures of dementia attitudes, empathy, attitudes toward older adults, and dementia care self-efficacy. Quantitative pretest–posttest data were integrated with semi-structured interviews analyzed through reflexive thematic analysis. Significant group-by-time interactions were found for cognitive function (F(2, 76) = 25.72, p < .001), depression (F(2, 76) = 12.90, p < .001), communication (F(2, 76) = 16.86, p < .001), and engagement (F(2, 76) = 96.51, p < .001). Students also showed significant pre-to-post improvements in dementia attitudes, empathy, attitudes toward older adults, and self-efficacy (all p < .001). Qualitative analysis generated three themes: breaking the wall of prejudice, the art of slowing down, and resonance across generations. Findings suggest that intergenerational digital storytelling may enhance meaningful engagement, communication, mood, and cognitive stimulation among older adults while strengthening person-centered dementia care competence among nursing students. Given the pilot design and small sample, replication in larger, multi-site trials is warranted.