Storytelling as a means of positive ageingnarrative identity construction in older adults’ life stories

Abstract

Population ageing is one of the most important trends in today’s world. Still, for many people, ageing is an ambivalent experience. They knew who they were when they were working and raising children, but what about now? Telling stories of their lives can allow older adults to look at their life from a different angle, perceive it within a larger picture, and realise its significance. The aim of this thesis is to study how storytelling helps older adults make meaning of and feel positive about their lives and themselves. The thesis considers six autobiographical pieces by Russian older amateur writers through the prism of the ideas of positive ageing, broadly understood as feeling good about oneself in late adulthood, demonstrating an amicable disposition toward the world, feeling appreciative of the past, content with the present, and optimistic about the future. The research has manifested that telling (writing) their life stories can satisfy people’s need for sharing with others what is important and precious for them, help them better understand and cherish their life experience. The texts by older writers show that one needs to have a positive identity, in the sense of belonging to something that one can value and be proud of, such as one’s past, family, or country, as well as engage in an activity one genuinely enjoys like storytelling.