Thinking about the future in older age.

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Sociology of Time
• Narrative Analysis

Background:

• Traditional views of older age emphasize the past, neglecting future relevance.
• Existing literature under-explores how older adults conceptualize and narrate their future.
• This study addresses the gap in understanding future orientations in later life.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze older adults' narratives about the future.
• To develop conceptual understandings of the relationship between older age and future time.
• To explore how older individuals perceive and engage with their future selves and circumstances.

Main Methods:

• Secondary analysis of diary entries from the British Mass Observation Project (1988).
• Thematic analysis of qualitative data focusing on temporal orientations.
• Utilizing critical time perspectives to interpret findings.

Main Results:

• Identified four future orientations: dreading, time running out, taking one day at a time, and thinking beyond finitude.
• Revealed a common reluctance to plan for future physical/cognitive health and care needs.
• Found that future conceptualizations are often seen as unpredictable and intertwined with past/present.

Conclusions:

• Older adults' future orientations are complex and influenced by perceptions of time's fluidity.
• Reluctance to plan for future needs stems from viewing the future as unmanageable.
• There is a need for broader ways to imagine and discuss the future in later life.