Mattering in the Later Years: Older Adults' Experiences of Mattering to Others, Purpose in Life, Depression, and Wellness

ADULTSPAN Journal Fall 2007 Vol. 6 No. 2 83

© 2007 by the American Counseling Association. All rights reserved.

MatteringintheLaterYears:OlderAdults’ExperiencesofMatteringtoOthers,PurposeinLife,Depression,andWellnessAndrea L. Dixon

The relationships among mattering, purpose in life, depression, and wellness among older adults were explored. Mattering, purpose in life, and depression accounted for 78% of the wellness variance. Older adults perceived that they mattered most to their children and friends. The importance of mattering when counseling older adults is discussed.

Can any of us possibly imagine moving through life without ever being noticed by or feeling special to anyone else? William James (1890) believed that one of the worst retributions in this world would be to move through life being unnoticed by others. T. S. Eliot (1948) also purported that being important to others, and making a difference in others’ lives, was actually one of the greatest purposes in life. Perceiving that we are noticed by and are important to others is known as the phenomenological experience of mattering to others (Rosenberg, 1985; Rosenberg & McCullough, 1981). Mattering to others is recognized as the fundamental need that all individuals have to feel significant and important to other people in their lives (Dixon Rayle, 2006b; Elliott, Kao, & Grant, 2004; Rosenberg, 1985). Furthermore, mattering is considered to be a global construct of significance to others through which individuals perceive their relevance in relation to specific others such as people in general, family members, friends, or to society at large (Dixon Rayle, 2005a; Mak & Marshal, 2004; Marshall, 2001; Rosenberg, 1985; Schieman & Taylor, 2001).

Traditionally, mattering to other people has been measured either as a general sense of mattering to organizations and large entities (Fromm, 1941) or as an interpersonal sense of mattering to specific others (Rosenberg & McCullough, 1981). Fromm and Rosenberg and McCullough were the first researchers to differentiate these two specific forms of mattering through which persons can evaluate their significance. Societal, or general, mattering involves individuals’ perceptions that they matter to others; however, this form of mattering focuses on the importance of individuals’ perceptions of making a difference in larger organi-

Andrea L. Dixon, Department of Counselor Education, University of Florida. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Andrea L. Dixon, University of Florida, PO Box 117046, Gainesville, FL 32611-7046 (e-mail: [email protected]).

84 ADULTSPAN Journal Fall 2007 Vol. 6 No. 2

zations, such as their country, work companies, or home communities (Fromm, 1941). Interpersonal mattering involves mattering to specific individuals and is determined by individuals’ perceptions of how much they matter to significant others in their lives (Marcus, 1991; Rosenberg & McCullough, 1981). Further conceptualized, interpersonal mattering encompasses five components: individuals’ perceptions that significant others (a) view them as important and significant, (b) show interest in them, (c) pay attention to them, (d) depend on them, and (e) are concerned with their future (Rosenberg & McCullough, 1981).

Although first conceptualized in the 1980s as a component of individuals’ self-concepts (Rosenberg & McCullough, 1981), mattering was understudied during the 1990s (i.e., mattering was introduced in the 1980s but was not studied until the late 1990s). Current research regarding perceptions of interpersonal matter-ing to others has shown that mattering is related to higher self-esteem and social support, lower depression and academic stress, and greater psychosocial well-being and wellness (Dixon Rayle, 2005a; Dixon Rayle & Chung, 2007; Dixon Rayle & Myers, 2004; Marshall, 2001; Taylor & Turner, 2001). Only since 2001 has mattering to others reemerged as an important psychosocial construct; it has been studied with younger adolescents and older adolescents, college students, adults, medical residents, military cadets, and school counselors (Dixon Rayle, 2005a, 2006a; Dixon Rayle & Chung, 2007; Dixon Rayle, Scheidegger, & McWhirter, in press; Elliott et al., 2004; Mak & Marshal, 2004; Marshall, 2001; Myers & Bechtal, 2004; Powers, Myers, Tingle, & Powers, 2004; Schieman & Taylor, 2001; Taylor & Turner, 2001). Despite the recent investigative focus on matter-ing, counseling and other social science researchers have thus far overlooked one crucial population when studying mattering: the older adult population. It seems timely, therefore, to examine the construct of mattering to others with older adults, focusing simultaniously on variables that previously had been studied for their relationship to mattering—purpose in life, depression, and overall wellness.

OLDERADULTS’ExPERIEnCESOFPURPOSE,DEPRESSIOn,AnDWELLnESS

It is well documented that many older persons experience psychological or emotional issues relating to the adjustment to changes in later life (Kennedy & Tanenbaum, 2000). Numerous psychological and emotional experiences in the later years of life have been related to overall wellness, and two of those experiences include increased purpose in life and reduced levels of depression (Ardelt, 2003; Gatz & Smyer, 2001; Ryff & Keyes, 1996). In fact, Ardelt found that greater purpose in life was positively related to 103 older adults’ subjective well-being. When older adults maintain a sense of purpose in life, they have been found to have reduced stress, greater self-esteem and personal strength, greater overall well-being, and fewer experiences of depression and sadness (Holahan, Holahan, & Wonacott, 2001; Kivnick & Murray, 2001; Sable, Dunn, & Zisook, 2002).


Feelings of sadness and loneliness are known to exist among older adults; rates of suicide among persons older than 85 are twice the overall national rate (Administration on Aging [AoA], 2005). For older persons, concerns of declining physical health, possible financial concerns, societal age discrimination, loneli-ness, the possibility of imminent death, and the death of friends and significant others can lead to depression (Frolik, 2001; Maples & Abney, 2006). It seems that for men, concerns related to the loss of health and/or the loss of a spouse are the greatest predictors of depression; for women, financial concerns and/or loneliness create depressed feelings. However, depressive symptoms have been found to be directly related to both men’s and women’s reduced overall wellness (Holahan et al., 2001; Loebel, 2005; Sable et al., 2002).

It is interesting that studies exist that link overall wellness and depression, overall wellness and mattering to others, and depression and mattering to others (Dixon Rayle & Myers, 2004; Holahan et al., 2001; Sable et al., 2002; Taylor & Turner, 2001); however, to date, no researchers have investigated how the perceived mattering of older adults might interact with their self-reported purpose in life, levels of depression, and/or their overall wellness.

PURPOSEOFTHESTUDY

In an effort to expand counselors’ understanding of the psychosocial construct of mattering to others with older adults, this study was undertaken to address the paucity in research and literature regarding possible relationships among mattering to others, purpose in life, depression, and overall wellness among a sample of older adults. The following research questions were addressed in the study:

1. Do levels of perceived mattering to others, purpose in life, and depression explain the variance in older adults’ overall wellness?

2. What are the interrelationships of perceived mattering to others, purpose in life, depression, and overall wellness for older adults?

3. Do older adults differ significantly in their perceptions of mattering to others, friends, children, grandchildren, and significant others?

METHOD

ParticipantsThe participants for this study were 167 older adults living in retirement com-munities in the southwestern portion of the United States and who were 70 years old or older. Approximately 195 older adults volunteered to participate; however, due to data missing or incomplete surveys, the final total number of participants was 167, yielding an 85.6% return rate. The respondents ranged in age from 73 to 92 years (M = 83.5, SD = 4.40), and there were 39 (23.4%)


men and 128 (76.6%) women; there were significantly more women than men overall, χ2(1) = 47.43, p = .000.

The majority of the final sample self-identified as European American (n = 114; 68.3%); however, there were 24 (14.4%) Latino/a, 18 (10.7%) Asian American, 5 (3.0%) international, and 6 (3.6%) biracial participants. In ad-dition, 31.7% of the respondents were married (n = 53), 6.6% were single (n = 11), 9.6% were divorced (n = 16), and 52.1% were widowed (n = 87). Regarding children, 135 (80.8%) respondents reported that they had children, and 120 (71.9%) reported having grandchildren. Approximately 132 (79.0%) participants reported being religious persons. Finally, 84 (50.3%) participants reported their current socioeconomic status as middle class, 58 (34.7%) reported that they were upper middle class, 19 (11.4%) reported that they were lower middle class, and 6 (3.6%) reported being in the upper class.

ProcedurePrior to receiving university Institutional Review Board Human Subjects ap-proval, I contacted local retirement communities’ counselors or social workers to describe the purpose of the study and to request older adult residents’ participa-tion. After receiving Institutional Review Board Human Subjects approval and invitations from five retirement communities, I advertised the study and the time and place for voluntary participation. I, along with two graduate students, visited each of the local communities at designated activity times for residents, during which residents who volunteered to participate were offered instructions and asked to complete informed consent forms for the study.

Our visits took place on 5 different days, and respondents completed the surveys in approximately 1 to 1½ hours. In addition, we shared snacks with the participants and informed them that we would provide the results to interested participants when the study was completed. We offered a code number to participants who wished to receive their results at a later time, which was cross-coded with their actual surveys. During data collection, we stayed with the residents to assist the older adults with completing the survey instruments. After data collection and data entry (approxi-mately 1 month), we revisited the five retirement communities to share results and discuss mattering and wellness in more depth with the participants. A total of 87 (44.6%) of the original 195 volunteers participated in these follow-up sessions.

InstrumentationParticipants were asked to complete five pencil-and-paper instruments: a standard demographic form, the 25-item Interpersonal Mattering Scale (IMS; Dixon Rayle, 2005b), the 20-item Purpose in Life Test (PIL; Crumbaugh, 1968), the 15-item short version of the Geriatric Depression Rating Scale (GDRS; Yesavage et al., 1983), and a 43-item Older Adult Wellness Evaluation (OAWE; Dixon Rayle, 2006c) created for use in this study. For research purposes, the order of the presentation of the instruments was variable across participants.


Demographic form. Participants completed a demographic data form that was used to gather specific information about the respondents, including the following areas: age; gender; ethnicity; marital status; socioeconomic status; current living situations; and whether they had children and/or grandchildren, owned pets, and were religious.

IMS. The IMS was created for use in this study with older adults and is based on the literature and past research with mattering to others (e.g., Dixon Rayle, 2005a; Dixon Rayle & Myers, 2004; Elliott et al., 2004; Marcus, 1991). The IMS is a 25-item questionnaire that measures older persons’ perceived interper-sonal mattering to other people in general, to their friends, to their children, to their grandchildren, and to their significant others (e.g., girlfriend, husband). Participants respond on a 4-point, Likert scale ranging from 1 = not at all to 4 = very much. Sample items include “How important do you feel you are to your child/children?” and “How interested are your grandchild/grandchildren in what you have to say?” The IMS total score is the mean of item responses, and higher scores reflect greater self-reported perceived mattering. In addition, the IMS can yield subscale scores (five items each) for the five groups of persons included: other people in general, friends, children, grandchildren, and significant others. The participants responded to only the specific subscales that pertained to their lives (e.g., whether there was a current significant other in their lives). Each subscale score result is the mean of the five items, with higher scores reflecting greater self-reported perceived mattering to persons in the five groups.

The IMS was created for use in this study and resulted in a Cronbach’s alpha of .82 for the total sample of older adults. In addition, each of the five subscales yielded coefficient alphas of .78 for others in general, .81 for friends, .79 for chil-dren, .83 for grandchildren, and .92 for significant others. Overall, the internal consistency was found to be acceptable with this sample. Although I constructed the IMS, and it is a previously unvalidated instrument, it is important to note that the IMS is based on an integration of past research and the body of mat-tering literature (e.g., Dixon Rayle, 2005a; Dixon Rayle & Myers, 2004; Elliott et al., 2004; Marcus, 1991; Marshall, 2001), and on validated instruments that have been used to assess other groups of individuals’ perceptions of mattering to others (Marcus, 1991; Rosenberg & McCullough, 1981).

PIL (Crumbaugh, 1968). The PIL evaluates individuals’ depth of meaning in their lives. The total PIL is composed of 20 items rated on a 7-point scale ranging from low purpose in life to high purpose in life. Items on the PIL involve issues such as meaning and purpose, retirement from work, death, and suicide. The PIL consists of 20 statements rated on a 7-point scale, with a high score (6 to 7) indicative of clear meaning and purpose, an intermediate score (3 to 5) indicative of indecision, and a low score (1 to 2) indicative of a lack of clear meaning and purpose in life. Past research using the PIL revealed that individuals’ purpose in life is related to lower levels of depression and greater overall wellness (Ardelt, 2003; Holahan et al., 2001). The Cronbach’s alpha for the PIL in this study was .94 for the total sample.


GDRS (Yesavage et al., 1983). The 15-item short version of the GDRS is a self-report basic screening measure for depression in older adults. Sample items include “Do you feel happy most of the time?” and “Do you feel life is empty?” Each of the 15 items has a yes/no answer, with the scoring dependent on the answer given. Items are scored by allocating one point to each “depressive” answer, for which the answer associated with depression is a “yes” for each item except Items 1, 5, 7, 11, and 13. Past research using the GDRS revealed that older adults’ levels of depression were related to their greater levels of overall wellness (Holahan et al., 2001; Kivnick & Murray, 2001; Sable et al., 2002). These past studies (i.e., Holahan et al., 2001) indicate adequate reliability for the GDRS including .84, .85, and .90 with adults over the age of 65. The Cronbach’s alpha for the GDRS in this study was .86.

OAWE. On the basis of past wellness literature and research in the area of well-ness (e.g., Dixon Rayle, 2005a; Dixon Rayle & Myers, 2004; Elliott et al., 2004; Marcus, 1991; Marshall, 2001), I created a wellness evaluation specifically for use in this study with older adults. The OAWE is a 43-item, paper-and-pencil, self-report wellness evaluation created for use with older adult participants in research, group, and individual counseling. The resulting evaluation assessed wellness in five areas based on previous wellness research and knowledge and experience of the older adult culture. The wellness areas assessed included Physical Well-Being, Emotional Well-Being, Social/Relational Well-Being, Spiritual Well-Being, and Personal/Self-Focused Well-Being. Sample items include “I am usually aware of how I feel about things” and “It is important for me to be physically fit.” Par-ticipants responded to each statement on a 4-point, Likert scale ranging from 4 = strongly agree to 1 = strongly disagree. Scoring was based on the sum of the responses in each of the five wellness categories and then averaged for an overall wellness score. Scores ranged from 1 (low wellness) to 4 (high wellness). The Cronbach’s alpha for the OAWE in this study was .97. Although I constructed the OAWE, and it is a previously unvalidated instrument, it is important to note that the OAWE is based on an integration of past research and an extensive body of wellness literature and on validated instruments that have been used to assess other groups of individuals’ self-reported wellness (Dixon Rayle & Myers, 2004; Powers et al., 2004; Ryff & Keyes, 1996).

RESULTS

Descriptive statistics for the four study variables are presented in Table 1. These statistics revealed relatively low overall wellness and perceived mattering to others. In order to examine the first research question regarding the relationship of total perceived mattering to others, purpose in life, and depression on overall wellness, a standard least squares multiple regression was performed. For the total sample of older adults, the mattering to others, purpose in life, and depression variables predicted 78.2% (adjusted R2) of the variance in overall wellness, F(3, 164) =


192.14, p = .000. When the beta weights were examined, total mattering to others (β = –.19, t = 6.80, p = .000), purpose in life (β = –.79, t = –19.90, p = .000), and depression (β = –.23, t = –5.62, p = .000) significantly accounted for variance in older adults’ overall wellness; however, the more powerful predictor for older adults’ wellness was their reported purpose in life.

The second research question was concerned with the relationships between total mattering to others, purpose in life, job satisfaction, depression, and overall wellness for older adults. These relationships were explored using Pearson product–moment correlations. Mattering to others was related to purpose in life (r = .58, p < .001), was negatively related to depression (r = –.64, p < .001), and was related to overall wellness (r = .62, p < .001). In addition, purpose in life was negatively related to depression (r = –.54, p < .001) and was related to overall wellness (r = .78, p < .001). Finally, depression was negatively related to overall wellness (r = –.48, p < .001).

The final research question was designed to explore the variable of mattering to others in more detail. A one-way repeated measures analysis of variance was conducted to investigate older adults’ perceptions of mattering to other people in general, friends, children, grandchildren, and significant others. Specifically, five dependent variables were used: mattering to other people in general, mattering to friends, mattering to children, mattering to grandchildren, and mattering to significant others. The means and standard deviations are presented in Table 2. Multivariate differences were found in mattering to the varying groups of individuals, Wilks’s lambda F(4, 163) = 299.78, p = .000, multivariate h2 = .88. The older adults reported mattering most to their children, followed by their friends and then their grandchildren.

TABLE 1

Descriptive Statistics for Study Variables for Total Sample of Older Adults (N = 167)

Total mattering to othersPurpose in lifeDepressionOverall wellness

Variable

2.59 5.10 7.18 2.02

0.30 0.93 0.42 0.65

SDM

TABLE 2

Descriptive Statistics for Older Adults’ Mattering to Others (N = 167)

Mattering to others (N = 167)Mattering to friends (N = 167)Mattering to children (n = 135)Mattering to grandchildren (n = 120)Mattering to significant others (n = 101)

Mattering Group

1.74 3.16 3.46 3.03 2.86

SDM

0.39 0.47 0.48 0.61 0.94


DISCUSSIOn

More than 25 years ago, Rosenberg and McCullough (1981) first conceptualized the construct of mattering to others as an integral component of individuals’ self-concepts. At the same time, they hypothesized that older adults may be one group of individuals who perceive that they matter the least, both generally and interpersonally. The current study was the first of its kind to investigate the psychosocial construct of mattering to others with an older adult population. This study examined the influence of mattering to others, purpose in life, and depression on overall wellness in a sample of 167 older adults living in the southwestern part of the United States. Results indicated that mattering to oth-ers, purpose in life, and depression accounted for just over 78% of the variance in overall wellness for the older adults; however, greater purpose in life was the best predictor for those older adults having greater levels of overall wellness. In addition, the study’s variables were all found to be significantly related. Possibly one of the most interesting findings was derived from the exploratory nature of the third research question. Findings indicated that older adults reported mattering the most to their children. Overall, it appears that the current results offer legitimacy to a new area of research and practice in counseling with older adults: mattering to others.

It seems that the older adults’ experiences of overall wellness were greatly influ-enced by perceptions of their mattering to others, purpose in life, and depressive symptoms. As reported in past literature (Ardelt, 2003; Gatz & Smyer, 2001; Ryff & Keyes, 1996), greater levels of purpose in life and decreased depression are directly related to individuals’ levels of overall wellness. In addition, in this group of older adults, greater purpose in life was directly related to lower levels of depression, which has also been well documented in past research (Holahan et al., 2001; Kivnick & Murray, 2001). Therefore, it seems imperative that older adults have outlets in their lives to facilitate their purpose and meaning. These outlets may include extracurricular activities, day-to-day responsibilities, spiritual or religious connections, and relationships with friends and family. Taking part in regular activities and relationships may also lead to lower levels of depression among the older adult population (Holahan et al., 2001). Holahan et al.’s study also showed that older adults who reported lover levels of depression also reported greater levels of overall wellness. This finding could be expected based on past evidence (e.g., Holahan et al., 2001; Kivnick & Murray, 2001); however, it is crucial to take into account how older adults’ perceptions of their relationships play a role in both their depression and their overall wellness.

Regarding relationships, the current findings highlight new research with older adults regarding their perceptions of mattering to others in their lives. Although no previous research has highlighted older adults’ perceptions of mattering to others, results with the older persons in this study indicated that they perceived that they mattered the most to their children, followed by their


friends and then their grandchildren. This may be indicative of the roles that children play in the daily lives of their parents; they tend to have known their parents the longest (when compared with the other groups assessed) and are probably the closest to the older adults, thus creating a greater sense of impor-tance to their children. In addition, the older adults perceived they mattered more to their friends than to their grandchildren, significant others, and/or other people in general. This finding may be indicative of the time actually spent with friends daily (all participants were living in retirement communities), and many reported not having significant others in their lives. Future research should further delineate the differences in mattering to specific groups of people among older adults and focus on possible gender differences in older adults’ perceptions of mattering. In addition, future researchers may focus on further exploring the complex relationships between older adults and their children, friends, and grandchildren from each of the groups’ perspectives.

Further analyses with the mattering to others data revealed expected findings: mattering to others was significantly related to purpose in life, depression, and overall wellness. The older adults who perceived that they mattered more to other individuals reported greater levels of purpose in life and overall wellness and lower levels of depression. Past research has indicated that persons who perceive that they matter to others will have increased wellness, greater purpose in life, and reduced levels of depression (Dixon Rayle & Myers, 2004; Dixon Rayle et al., in press; Marshall, 2001; Schieman & Taylor, 2001; Taylor & Turner, 2001). Because of the fundamental human need to feel connected to other human beings, it seems logical that similar to previously studied groups, older adults who believe they matter to significant groups of people in their lives will feel a greater sense of purpose in their lives, increased overall wellness; ultimately, their depressive symptoms may be mediated by their beliefs that they matter. Future research should further explore the complex relationships among varying levels of wellness and mattering to others.

The results of this study suggest that mattering to others, purpose in life, and depression are interrelated and function together to predict older adults’ overall wellness. It is important to reemphasize that older adults in this sample perceived that they mattered less to their grandchildren, their significant others, and to other people in general. Thus, it appears that criti-cal questions remain for future research with older adults: How do older adults’ perceptions of mattering affect their personal well-being? and How do their experiences of mattering, purpose, depression, and wellness affect their daily lives in the later years?

LimitationsAlthough this study yielded important information about the influences of per-ceived mattering to others, purpose in life, depression, and overall wellness in the lives of a sample of older adults, there are limitations that must be mentioned.


First, the theoretical propositions of perceived mattering to others and overall wellness as used in this study require further testing. In addition, respondents were solicited for voluntary participation through local retirement communities in one section of the United States. As with any voluntary research study, persons who choose to volunteer may have personal reasons for participating, such as biased opinions and experiences they wish to voice—whether positive or nega-tive. Furthermore, generalizing the current results to other older adults across the United States should be done so with caution. Finally, two of the measures used were created specifically for this study, and although they were based on theory and past research, future studies could further define the reliability and validity of these self-report measures and might include qualitative experiences of older adults. It is possible that the validity of the current results could have been affected by the initial use of these instruments with this population.

ImplicationsforCounselingWithOlderAdultsThe current results have implications for professional counselors in a variety of settings and provide valuable information that can help shape counseling relationship interventions and mental health care and service programming for older adult clients. Counseling with older adults is becoming more frequent for all professional counselors; the U.S. population is becoming disproportionately higher in older adults due to increased life expectancies and the aging of baby boomers. In order to apply the findings from this study, it is crucial for counsel-ors to understand the current and future U.S. older adult population. There are currently more than 35 million persons in the United States who are 65 years old and older (AoA, 2005). In addition, current statistics indicate that the majority of the nation’s 76,000,000 baby boomers (persons born between 1946 and 1964) turned 60 in 2006 (AoA, 2005), which indicates that in the coming years, the United States will have its largest group of older persons in history. This increase among individuals in this age of the life span means that professional counselors can expect to have larger numbers of older adults as clients.

These statistics suggest that it is imperative for counselors working with older adults to have a firm cross-cultural understanding of the values, beliefs, needs, and desires of the U.S. older adult population, just as they would any other group of clients. Counselors are encouraged to educate themselves on the older adult population in the 21st century and be prepared to implement appropriate clinical interventions within the counseling relationship. By taking the time needed to understand holistically older adults’ ideas, values, perceptions, and experiences, counselors can assist them in understanding the reasons behind their daily and/or life struggles. Responding to each older client as a unique individual is mandatory for productive counseling to take place. Recognizing the distinctive identity of each older adult client and that each client is competent unless there is evidence otherwise will minimize any tendencies for counselors to assume that the needs of all older adults are similar.


Based on the current results, it seems useful for counselors to gain an un-derstanding of the important relationships in older adult clients’ lives and the persons to whom they believe they matter the most. The counselor can then use this information to help older clients combat possible feelings of depression and to use their close relationships as one way of achieving purpose in life. In addition, greater levels of mattering have been found to lead to greater overall wellness (Dixon Rayle & Myers, 2004; Myers & Bechtel, 2004). If counselors focus on older adults’ experience of mattering to their spouses, friends, family members, and living companions, they can help older adults in rescripting the importance and meaning they have in the lives of others. This can also be a valuable tool in group counseling situations with older clients. Specifically, for older adults living in retirement communities, group counseling interven-tions or support groups might be a potent vehicle that allows older adults to explore their experiences and to actually facilitate mattering to others within the group setting. For instance, it might be useful for counselors to assess the mattering of a group of older persons and then have them work together to develop relationship strategies with one another and for connecting with other family and friends.

Mattering is becoming a tool that can be used in counseling relationships for building stronger, trusting relationships between older adult clients and counselors (Dixon Rayle, 2006b). Feeling that they matter to their counselors may allow older adults to gain greater purpose and wellness through the counsel-ing experience. Counselors can aid older adults in focusing on (a) meaningful relationships in which they matter to others and others matter to them; (b) purpose and spirituality in life; (c) simple daily activities they enjoy; (d) hopes and plans for the future, which helps to prevent depression; (e) areas of well-ness (e.g., physical, mental, emotional); and (f ) the well-documented use of life review. In addition, counselors are encouraged to determine older clients’ worldviews, belief systems, and their opinions about what their presenting problems or concerns are and to slow the pace of counseling if necessary in order to accommodate slower cognitive processing.

Most important, counselors should constantly monitor and challenge their own attitudes and stereotypes about older adults to maximize the counseling they provide to these clients. If counselors believe that older persons have the potential for growth and change regardless of age, if they focus on building strong counseling relationships, and if they are willing to be advocates for these individuals, then the potential for positive counseling outcomes is tremendous.

COnCLUSIOn

Older adults are a burgeoning population of clients for counselors in the 21st century, and counseling older adults is becoming a more specialized area of counseling than it has been. Thus, the time has never been better for new


research that informs practice with these probable clients. Mattering to others is a lesser known psychosocial construct that may have serious implications in the daily lives of older adults. Mattering to others is a powerful experience that all people need, because it potentially informs individuals’ experiences of purpose in life, depression, and overall wellness. For older adults, it seems that mattering in the later years definitely affects their experiences with these other psychological constructs.

Results of this study indicate that mattering to specific others in their lives, having a sense of purpose in their lives, and experiencing reduced levels of de-pression likely influence how older adults live out the later years of their lives. Because the later years have been documented as times of loneliness and loss, it seems that mattering to others may be one of the most essential phenom-enological constructs counselors can study and use in counseling older adults. It is also possible that mattering may emerge as one of the most fundamental human experiences related to overall, holistic wellness.

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Documents

Mattering in the Later Years: Older Adults' Experiences of Mattering to Others, Purpose in Life, Depression, and Wellness