Growing Up on an Appalachian Farm: A Centenarian Perspective

Background Research on centenarians to date has focused on areas with a high population of centenarians. However, there is limited literature on centenarians' perspectives about growing up on farms from the heartland of Appalachia in Eastern Tennessee. Purpose This qualitative descriptive study was designed to characterize the role of a farming childhood by exploring the viewpoints of community-dwelling centenarians who grew up on farms in south central Appalachia. Methods A qualitative descriptive design was used with a convenience sample ( n = 16). Cognitive status was determined with the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire. Demographic data were collected. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed with the Neuendorf method of content analysis. Results Main emerging themes were the farm, the family, and the environment. Conclusion The farm was at the center of these centenarians' childhood, influencing their family, community relations, and social interactions, which provided lessons that they utilized throughout their long lives.