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Exploring underexposed stories: the experienced lifecourse of financially excluded older adults

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 October 2019

Sofie Van Regenmortel Open the ORCID record for Sofie Van Regenmortel [Opens in a new window] ,
An-Sofie Smetcoren ,
Sara Marsillas ,
Deborah Lambotte ,
Bram Fret  and
Liesbeth De Donder
Sofie Van Regenmortel*
Affiliation:
Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
An-Sofie Smetcoren
Affiliation:
Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
Sara Marsillas
Affiliation:
Matia Gerontological Institute, Madrid, Spain
Deborah Lambotte
Affiliation:
Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
Bram Fret
Affiliation:
Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
Liesbeth De Donder
Affiliation:
Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
*
*Corresponding author. Email: sofie.van.regenmortel@vub.be
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Abstract

To gain insights into vulnerable lifecourses and give a voice to those often underrepresented in quantitative research, this study examines the life stories (past, present and future) of 19 financially excluded older adults using an adapted version of McAdams’ life-story interview scheme. Although these life stories demonstrate an accumulation of many disadvantages and an uncertain future because of current financial situations, the stories also reflect the generativity, resilience, coping strategies and agency of financially excluded older adults. We demonstrate how the experienced lifecourse is built around both negative and positive turning points and transitions which go beyond the classical education–work–retirement triumvirate, and how socio-cultural life scripts are used as a framework to build one's own life story in order to achieve continuity. The discussion highlights the potential for deploying the life-story method as a qualitative resource for providing individualised care.

Keywords

life storylifecourse perspectivefinancially excluded older adultsvulnerable lifecourses
Type
Article
Information
Ageing & Society , Volume 41 , Issue 4 , April 2021 , pp. 724 - 745
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2019

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