Meaning Making in Old Age: A longitudinal approach

The proposed research program will investigate how older persons establish meaning when confronted with stressful events inherent to late life and how specific religious, spiritual, and secular factors influence this process. The program will clarify (a) whether religious, spiritual or secular meaning systems influence meaning making processes in old age, (b) how these dynamic processes develop over time, (c) how specific aspects of the meaning system or specific meaning making processes facilitate or inhibit optimal late life functioning, (d) develop late life interventions that stimulate the experience of meaning in life. The program will offer insights pivotal for policy making and practical applications.