Homemaking, Temporality and Later Life

Abstract

While much literature has focused on the meaning of home, relatively little has been conducted on homemaking in later life. This paper demonstrates the importance of time in conceptualizations of home. Using an extensive case study from a multi-interview study with eight older people in England, it is shown that gardening can form the basis of a temporal framework which structures a life. Importantly, gardening can seem essential in homemaking and a reason not to move to residential living. This paper builds on literature that suggests home is a process and that people’s conceptualization and experience of home develop throughout their lives. As ageing and dying have become long and complicated processes, it is argued older people may find this challenging as this makes it difficult to prepare for the end of life.

KEYWORDS:

• ageing in place
• home
• dying
• older people
• time
• gardening

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. All demographic data on this can be found at: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/ageing/articles/livinglongerhowourpopulationischangingandwhyitmatters/2018-08-13

2. In English housing survey 2014 to 2015: housing for older people report ‘older households’ refers to household were the oldest person living there is aged 55 or over.

3. For a more extensive methodological reflection on this research see (Visser 2017a).

4. This assumes that people were in the workforce. It has been argued that it is easier for women who have not been part of the workforce to adapt to a post-retirement life that takes places predominantly in the home-sphere as this is a continuation of their earlier life (Mowl et al.2000). As women are increasingly part of the workforce, it will be interesting to explore how future generations of older women cope with these transitions.

5. This is a pseudonym.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Renske Visser

RENSKE VISSER IS A MEDICAL ANTHROPOLOGIST INTERESTED IN AGING, DYING AND DEATH. SHE COMPLETED HER PHD ON HOMEMAKING IN LATER LIFE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF BATH. CURRENTLY SHE IS A RESEARCH FELLOW AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SURREY CONDUCTING RESEARCH ON CANCER CARE IN PRISON.[email protected]