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Diversity and "Successful Aging": Exploring Intersectional and Existential Dimensions to Aging Well.
Susan Pickard1, Victoria Cluley2, Surinder Sharma1
1Centre for Ageing and the Life Course, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, Merseyside, UK.
The Gerontologist
|January 23, 2025
Summary
Older adults from ethnic minorities define "aging well" by leveraging assets and turning deficits into strengths, challenging traditional successful aging narratives. This research highlights their resilience and unique perspectives on flourishing.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Sociology
- Ethnic Studies
Background:
- Critiques of
- successful aging
- frameworks often exclude minority ethnic groups.
- Focus on White, middle-class values limits understanding of diverse aging experiences.
Purpose of the Study:
- Explore alternative discourses of
- aging well
- from the perspective of minoritized ethnic groups.
- Challenge normative, culturally-bound definitions of successful aging.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal research with 5 minority ethnic groups in the UK.
- Photovoice methodology to capture participants' lived experiences.
- Analysis through intersectionality and phenomenological approaches.
Main Results:
- Participants utilized assets and reframed deficits to build meaning and purpose.
- Demonstrated flourishing in challenging circumstances.
- Challenged the notion that successful aging is solely defined by advantage.
Conclusions:
- Presents alternative, diverse depictions of aging well.
- Challenges dominant, culturally-specific narratives of successful aging.
- Provides insights for supporting diverse older populations in health and frailty.
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