Narrativety in care for older persons

Several demographic, medical, and societal changes ask for an approach that considers the question of what makes a good life, over and beyond the quality of care. Although longevity increases, people grow older with more chronic diseases. Given improvements in medical technologies, end-of-life care issues become ever more virulent. Last, care for older persons is under economic strain, e.g., concerning lives in nursing homes. Since stories provide a means to provide life with purpose and meaning, we argue that narrativity plays an important role in understanding what makes a good life to older individuals. Using examples from everyday care interactions as well as from narrative interventions we demonstrate how listening to and supporting older people in telling their stories can meaningfully contribute to care. We discuss the promises and pitfall of narrative approaches.