Although social capital has been found to be an important social determinant of mental health in later life, research on social capital in the context of COVID-19 and the interplay among subdimensions of social capital is lacking. The present study examined the mediating role of cognitive social capital on the relationship between structural social capital and mental health among older adults in urban China in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected from the Yangpu district in Shanghai, China, in July–August 2020. A quota sampling approach was used to recruit 472 respondents aged 60 years and older from 23 communities in the Yangpu district. Mental health was measured by depressive symptoms and life satisfaction. Cognitive social capital was assessed through trust and reciprocity, and structural social capital was assessed through organization memberships, and COVID-19 related volunteering and citizenship activity. Structural equation modeling was used to test the mediation model. The results show that cognitive social capital had a full mediation effect on the association between structural social capital and mental health indicators (life satisfaction: b = 0.122, SD = 0.029, p < 0.001; depressive symptoms: b = −0.343, SD = 0.119, p < 0.01). The findings indicate that social capital can play an important role in sustaining and improving mental health in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Policy and intervention implications are discussed.

This study evaluated an intergenerational interaction program set in a nonfamilial context to combat age-related stereotypes and to facilitate positive interactions between the young and elderly in Hong Kong. Method: A quasi-experimental design was adopted. A total of 312 participants were recruited: 73 older and 78 young participants in the intervention group and 77 older and 84 young participants in the comparison group. Standardized measurements of intergenerational attitude, sense of comfort with cross-age groups, and intergenerational interaction were used during pre-and posttest. Results: The intervention group showed positive change in intergenerational attitude and sense of comfort. There were also positive changes in most aspects of intergenerational interaction in the intervention group. Discussion: This research provides preliminary evidence of the effectiveness of the intervention model and offers many implications for service directions. The findings enrich cumulative knowledge about factors contributing to the reduction of age-related stereotypes.