Embracing change: Older women's reflections on resources for aging successfully.

Abstract

Older women from a Lifelong Learning Institute (N = 7) participated in a narrative and photovoice study on successful aging. The participants met for three class sessions. During the first session, participants were given an overview of the study and told to take a photograph and write a corresponding narrative about how they were aging successfully for seven consecutive days. During the second class session, participants shared their photos and narratives with each other by engaging in a group discussion. After data collection ended, the researcher shared recent research on successful aging with the group during the third class session. The narratives, photos, and recorded group discussion were analyzed using Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis approach. Results revealed two themes and a subtheme from the narrative and photos. Theme 1: Adapting and Coping revealed the importance of adapting to life challenges, with adjusting to widowhood as the most discussed life event. A subtheme on Challenging Yourself was noted under this theme and represented how participants enjoyed challenging themselves by participating in lifelong learning and volunteering. Theme 2: Connections, represented the diverse social resources that women had access to, including friendships and connections with their faith/spirituality, as well as pets. Overall, these women focused on their human agency and its role in determining how they perceived successful aging. Their former careers were protective and ultimately enhanced successful aging by providing them with opportunities for fulfillment, engagement, and socialization in older adulthood.