Adapting Autoethnography to Explore Cultural and Generational Differences on Aging
Keywords:
life history, oral history, autoethnography, gerontology, reflexivityAbstract
In this article we analyze a series of in-depth interviews and conversations between two women, both social workers and gerontologists, that culminate in an oral history project which created a space for dialogue across generations. The narrator (Virginia), 99, reflects on the experiences that shaped how she cared for people with dementia. The interviewer (Natalie), 42, assumes a co-interpreter role as she documented what informed Virginia’s relational, person-centered approach. Additionally, reactions and responses from a graduate student (Sajjad), 42, invited by Natalie to assist with data analysis, are shared utilizing an adapted autoethnographic approach. Together, we offer two culturally and generationally divergent perspectives on aging and care for older adults. This paper highlights how autoethnography facilitates the co-construction of a nuanced understanding of aging and offers a vehicle for scholars and practitioners to examine their assumptions about aging.
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