Vulnerability and narrative in later life

Narrative gerontology considers how people age biographically as well as socially and biologically. Vulnerability as a process category and state of being remains undertheorized in the context of narratives of later life. It is argued that the narrative space for stories from old age privilege backward-looking stories that focus on positive milestones and support cultural narratives of a “life well lived.” Sad, emotionally laden or uncertain/unfinished stories that reveal vulnerabilities are rejected and potentially viewed as problematic. Using an illustrative case example of a study of resilience narratives and…