Storytelling

The power of story telling as we age, addresses the following theories:

  • Narrative Identity Theory

  • Cognitive Reserve

  • Autobiographical Memory (Episodic and Semantic)

  • Selective Attention

  • Reminiscence Therapy

  • Person Centered Care

  • Emotion as a Memory Modulator (Amygdala-Hippocampus Link)

  • Self-Determination Theory

  • Flow State Theory

  • Theory of Mind (ToM) / Social Cognition

  • Schema Theory

Narrative as a Boundary Concept in Gerontology: The Story Behind the Stories — K. de Medeiros, Innovation in Aging (2022)

Older Adults Documenting Purpose and Meaning Through Life Stories — M. Heinz et al., The Gerontologist (2023)

They want you to know who they really are inside of the old visage — Biographical Storytelling as a Methodological Tool to Explore Older People’s Emotional Challenges — C. Fang, A. Comery & S. Carr, BMC Geriatrics (2023)

Helping Older Adults Find Meaning and Purpose Through Storytelling — K. Scott & J. Kayler DeBrew, Journal of Gerontological Nursing (2009)

Importance of Being Ironic: Narrative Openness and Personal Resilience — W. L. Randall, The Gerontologist (2013)

Growth Through Education: The Narratives of Older Adults — C. Bjursell, Frontiers in Sociology (2019)

Unfolding Biographies — A Participatory Narrative Study on How Older Adults Make Sense of Later Life — S. Olsgaard Bergien et al., BMC Geriatrics (2023)

Inquiring into Conditions for Engaging in Narrative Relations in Everyday Practices on a Geriatric Ward — L. H. Scholander et al., BMC (PMC) (2024)

Being and Becoming ‘a Frail Older Adult’: Meaning-making Through Storytelling — L. Bjerkmo et al., Journal of Aging Studies (2023)

The Critical Use of Narrative and Literature in Gerontology — Hannah Zeilig, Critical Gerontology / Narrative Gerontology Perspective (2015)

Interest-Based Stories (fictional/semi-fictional tales inspired by passions, hobbies, or imagination)

  • “Older adults who continue to learn and narrate around personal interests experience growth and renewal, even in later life.” — Bjursell, “Growth Through Education: The Narratives of Older Adults” (2019, Frontiers in Sociology)
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  • “Narrative openness, including irony, play, and imagination, is central to resilience and adaptation in aging.” — Randall, “Importance of Being Ironic” (2013, The Gerontologist)
    Article

Legacy Stories (life lessons, personal history, family heritage)

  • “Older adults who document purpose and meaning through life stories create enduring narratives that sustain identity.” — Heinz et al., “Older Adults Documenting Purpose and Meaning Through Life Stories” (2023, The Gerontologist)
    PubMed

  • “Biographical storytelling gives older adults a way to make sense of emotional challenges and share who they really are beyond appearances.” — Fang, Comery & Carr, “Biographical Storytelling as a Methodological Tool” (2023, BMC Geriatrics)
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