SOCIAL PARTICIPATION AND PERSONAL GROWTH IN LATER LIFE: THE EXPERIENCES OF OLDER ADULTS LIVING ALONE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17770/eid2025.1.8376Keywords:
older adults, personal growth in later life, social participationAbstract
In the present study, adopting the theory of lifespan development, personal growth in later life is explored in the context of social participation. Personal growth in later life as a developmental task of the life-stage may be expressed in adjustment to changes in one’s social environment. The aim of the present study is to examine the significance of social participation for personal growth of older people living alone. The research questions are: How do older people living alone perceive and respond to their social participation opportunities? How do they make use of those opportunities for personal growth? The empirical findings of the present study show the development of age-related coping strategies by older adults living alone in response to their social participation experiences.
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