MEANING IN LATER LIFE - AN ORGANIZING THEME FOR GERONTOLOGICAL CURRICULUM DESIGN

A view of the older person as a meaning making individual is a phenome nological and existential orientation to education and practice in the field of gerontology that provides maximum opportunity for older pers ons to contribute their life experiences, their individual reality of aging to the theoretical and practical aspects of basic as well as adv anced courses in gerontological social work. This article reviews some of the theoretical and empirical formulations of personal meaning in later life, as well as a student experiential and empirical study into the personal meaning dimensions of 198 Israeli younger and older men. The position expressed is that the most important component of geront ology education is the provision, of opportunities-structural and cont extual-for gaining a better understanding of reality through closer co ntact with older persons, including but also going beyond the field ex perience. The need for more humanistic, self-constructive foundations for curriculum design in gerontology is briefly discussed.