A Phenomenological Analysis of the Life Experiences of Elderly Individuals

Abstract

This study is intended to make sense of the life experiences of elderly individuals over 65 years living in Samsun. The study was designed with phenomenology, one of the qualitative research methods. The participants constitute 15 elderly individuals, determined with the snowball sampling technique. The semi-structured interviews were done, and content analysis was performed through the MAXQDA. Three themes emerged: family life, education life, and social life. Based on these themes, it was revealed that the family was an essential support for elderly individuals that made them happy or sad in their life course. The other social interactions satisfied elderly individuals; they did not feel lonely in this way. In those ages, they had different hobbies like gardening or religious activities. These gave them peace. Besides, they gained importance to education, and some regretted their education process. These regrets arose from problems like low-income levels, family issues, and wrong choices. © 2024 The Authors.