Time and self-identity in later life

Addressing questions raised by Kastenbaum concerning varied everyday experiences of psychological time, an attempt is made to provide a framework through which such experiences can be interpreted. Raynor's concept of time-linked sources of self-identity is elaborated to include intergenerational-linked and timeless sources of self-identity in the quest to feel good about oneself. Case examples of how eight elderly individuals viewed their futures are used in illustrating how a meaningful sense of self-identity is part of an integration of experiences over time.