Being part of an unfolding story: togetherness in everyday occupations when ageing

The aim of this study was to explore and enhance the understanding of how togetherness in everyday occupations is experienced and discussed among older adults.

Focus-group discussions generated the data and a total of 12 participants, including six women and six men, divided into three groups, participated in this study. Analysis was performed using a grounded theory approach.

The findings reflect how togetherness in everyday occupations can be comprehended as multifold transactional processes, emphasizing how an acted belonging was a situated experience connecting people and places through unfolding stories. The findings suggest that the process of meaning-making in ongoing life was closely associated with togetherness and was negotiated with others through shared culture and experiences. Togetherness meant being part of something in which the persons involved were contributing to each other in various ways. However, being part of togetherness was complicated, especially when the person's life situation was challenged in some way.

It was apparent from the analysis that togetherness could not be taken for granted. Rather, the findings reflect how togetherness was created and maintained through an ongoing process of nurturing established relationships as well as creating something new around occupations with others.