The lived experience of ageing amongst the Maltese

Abstract

Malta's declining fertility rate together with medical advances are leading to an ageing population with the current life expectancy being 79 years for men, and 83 for women. The country's population is predicted to reach 429,000 persons by 2025. Gaining more insight on the psychological processes of ageing individuals, may help to improve their quality of life. This qualitative study, following the Socioemotional Selectivity Theory, investigates the elderly's interpretation of successful ageing. Five individuals aged 65 years and over residing at St Vincent de Paul, participated in this study. With the aid of open-ended interview questions, and the PhotoVoice technique participants were able to provide thorough testimonies of their experiences, thoughts and emotions. Thematic analysis revealed that most participants depend on family as a source of happiness. Moreover, participants' goals are motivated by positive feelings. This study helped gain a better understanding on the signi cance of ageing positively.