Aging & Social Change: Fourteenth Interdisciplinary Conference

Abstract

This phenomenological study describes the lived experiences of older adults living in rural community, located in the Pacific Northwest region of the USA. Descriptive phenomenology is one of the most commonly used methodologies in qualitative research within the social and health sciences. Participate observation, in depth interviews and focus groups are used to understand how human beings experience growing old in one rural community. In this process, the researcher asks, “What is this experience like?’ and ‘What does this experience mean?’ Thematic analysis was used to make generalizations in relation to how this phenomenon is perceived or experienced and what implications it has for supporting aging. Gerontology is the study of the social, economic, physical and mental changes related to aging. Rural gerontology is a distinct subset of the field that recognizes the transformation of communities as a result of globalization and counter-urbanization; this is particularly important in a post-pandemic society. The themes identified highlight the unique social and health contexts of rural communities can be used to guide curriculum design using an innovative critical gerontology lens that supports a diverse population of aging adults.