PERSONAL POSSESSIONS AND SELF-IDENTITY: THE EXPERIENCES OF ELDERLY WOMEN IN THREE RESIDENTIAL SETTINGS

Possessions allow us to understand and to express our self-identity. For the elderly, possessions are also important repositories of memories of one's self-identity in the past, especially when opportunities for the external validation of self are limited, for example, as a result of institutionalisation. The present study explored the relationship between possessions and self-identity for elderly women in (a) their own homes, (b) a residential unit, and (c) a nursing home. Ten women in each residential setting were interviewed about the meaning and value of their possessions. Qualitative analysis revealed five themes relating to self-identity (memories of people, memories from gifted possessions, memories of creator, memories of time or place, possessions as part of self)-The responses of the three groups of women for each of these themes are discussed.