ABSTRACT
The author sets out to explore the topic of eldership as an existential possibility for older adults. By drawing on the personal experience of being accompanied by an elder, the article explores the literature on the concept of eldership, the principles which underpin the role and its potential for orientating individuals in the later stage of life. The author offers eldership as an opportunity through which older adults might continue to be active agents in the nourishing of self and communities. Finally, the article invites readers to consider the possibilities for encouraging eldership in their own professional and personal contexts.
Notes on contributor
Giles Barrow is a freelance educator working with schools and organizations in the UK and further afield. In addition to being a qualified teacher with experience in all sectors of education, he is also a teaching and supervising transactional analyst in the educational field. Giles runs a smallholding in the east of England.