Older Adults and Their Life Experience: What Can We Learn from Them?

Abstract

This study contemplates the role which reminiscing by older adults can play in facilitating beneficial outcomes by helping prepare for end of life via creating a cohesive life narrative and generative of personal meaning. When considering these benefits and the wisdom embedded in the life stories of older adults, this study’s goals included both: Facilitating reminiscing through open-ended interviews and fostering generational learning by analyzing the life experiences of older adults for life lessons and wisdom therein. We hypothesized that not only would the interview process itself promote reminiscing but also document the life knowledge of the older adults which could then be thematically analyzed and distilled into accessible “pearls of wisdom”. The interviews were conducted in Canada with 132 participants who were between 60 to 94-years of age utilizing six questions designed to facilitate further commentary. During the interview process we were able to document a wide array of experiences which we categorized into the themes which were entitled: dealing with personal difficulties/insights on life and adapting, relationships with parents and older adults, and satisfaction from life.