Holding on to Literacies: Older Adult Narratives of Literacy and Agency

Suzanne Kesler Rumsey Purdue University Fort Wayne

Abstract

Based on descriptive narratives of older, homebound adults, this article articulates how holding on to literacies is a vital part of staying engaged as an older adult. It traces a parallel between the idea of aging and literacy development. Employing the concept of heritage literacy—the decision-making processes individuals use regarding whether to adopt, adapt, or alienate various literacies and technologies over time—the article theorizes more extensively the heritage literacy practice of alienation. Alienation from literacies becomes a particularly important part of our understanding of literacy development in light of widespread experiences of aging, such as when physical health, mental health and acuity, social connection, spiritual health, or maintaining independence are challenged because of age. By examining how literacy is employed in agentive and nuanced ways in the lives of homebound adults, the article shows the impact that literacy has on aging and the impact that aging has on understandings of literacy throughout the life course.

Journal
Literacy in Composition Studies
Published
2018-05-01
DOI
10.21623/1.6.1.5
CompPile
Search in CompPile ↗
Open Access
OA PDF Gold
Topics
Export

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (8)

  1. Literacy in Composition Studies
  2. College English
  3. Literacy in Composition Studies
  4. Literacy in Composition Studies
  5. Literacy in Composition Studies
Show all 8 →
  1. Literacy in Composition Studies
  2. Literacy in Composition Studies
  3. Literacy in Composition Studies

References (54) · 6 in this index

  1. Arcury, Thomas A., Sara A. Quandt, Juliana McDonald, and Ronny A. Bell. “Faith and Health Self-Management of …
  2. Baker, David. W., et al. “Functional Health Literacy and the Risk of Hospital Admission Among Medicare Manage…
  3. Barry, Joan. “Autobiographical Writing: An Effective Tool for Practice with the Oldest Old.” Social Work 33.5…
  4. Beckley, Margaret Newsham, et al. “Low Vision: Developing Services for Older Adults.” Australian Occupational…
  5. Boudiny, Kim. “‘Acting Ageing’: From Empty Rhetoric to Effective Policy Tool.” Ageing and Society 33.6 (2013)…
Show all 54 →
  1. College English
  2. College Composition and Communication
  3. College English
  4. ---. Literacy in American Lives. New York: Cambridge UP, 2001. Print.
  5. ---. “Sponsors of Literacy.” College Composition and Communication 49.2 (1998): 165–85. Print. Broady, Tim, A…
  6. Brown, Helen, et al. Literacy of Older Adults in America: Results from the National Adult Literacy Survey, Wa…
  7. Clarke, Amanda, and Lorna Warren, “Hopes, Fears and Expectations about the Future: What Do Other People’s Sto…
  8. Written Communication
  9. Compton-Lilly, Catherine. Reading Families: The Literate Lives of Urban Children. New York: Teachers College …
  10. ---. Reading Time: The Literate Lives of Urban Secondary Students and Their Families. New York: Teachers Coll…
  11. ---. Re-Reading Families: The Literate Lives of Urban Children Four Years Later. New York: Teachers College P…
  12. Dolmage, Jay Timothy. Disability Rhetoric. Syracuse: Syracuse UP, 2014. Print.
  13. Edmondson, Ricca, and Hans-Joachim von Kondratowitz. Valuing Older People: A Humanistic Approach to Ageing. B…
  14. Farr, Marcia. “En Los Dos Idiomas: Literacy Practices Among Chicago Mexicanos.” Literacy Across Communities. …
  15. Flesch, Rudolf. Why Johnny Can’t Read–And What You Can Do About It. New York: Harper, 1955. Print.
  16. Friedman, Daniela B., and Laurie Hoffman-Goetz. “An Exploratory Study of Older Adults’ Comprehension of Print…
  17. Gilleard, Chris, and Paul Higgs. “Old People as Users and Consumers of Healthcare: A Third Age Rhetoric for a…
  18. Hawisher, Gail, and Cynthia Selfe, eds. Literate Live in the Information Age: Narratives of Literacy from the…
  19. Heath, Shirley Brice. Ways with Words: Language, Life and Work in Communities. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1983.…
  20. Hicks, Deborah. Reading Lives: Working Class Children and Literacy Learning. New York: Teachers College P, 20…
  21. Holroyd, Eleanor. “Health-Seeking Behaviors and Social Change: The Experience of the Hong Kong Chinese Elderl…
  22. Katz, Stephen, and Toni Calasanti. “Critical Perspectives on Successful Aging: Does It ‘Appeal More Than It I…
  23. "Lettered." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam Webster, 2014. Web. 8 July 2014.
  24. "Literate." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam Webster, 2014. Web. 8 July 2014.
  25. Liu, Chiung-ju, Susan Kemper, and James A. Bovaird. “Comprehension of Health-Related Written Materials by Old…
  26. McCormack, Lauren, et al. “Health Insurance Literacy of Older Adults.” The Journal of Consumer Affairs 43.2 (…
  27. Community Literacy Journal
  28. Moss, Beverly J. “Creating a Community: Literacy Events in African-American Churches.” Literacy Across Commun…
  29. Mullen, Ellen. “Health Literacy Challenges in the Aging Population.” Nursing Forum 48.4 (2013): 248–55. Web. …
  30. Naidoo, Vishaya, Michelle Putnam, and Andria Spindel. “Key Focal Areas for Bridging the Fields of Aging and D…
  31. Nygaard, Rolf W., Katharina V. Echt, and Ronald A. Shuchard. “Models of Reading Performance in Older Adults w…
  32. Pettigrew, Simone, and Michele Roberts. “Addressing Loneliness in Later Life.” Aging and Mental Health 12.3 (…
  33. Ray, Ruth E. Beyond Nostalgia: Aging and Life-Story Writing. Charlottesville: UP of Virginia, 2000. Print.
  34. ---. Endnotes: An Intimate Look at the End of Life. New York: Columbia UP, 2008. Print.
  35. Richeson, Nancy, and James A. Thorson. “The Effect of Autobiographical Writing on the Subjective Well-Being o…
  36. Roman, Sarah Poff. “Illiteracy and Older Adults: Individual and Societal Implications.” Educational Gerontolo…
  37. Rosenthal, Rita L. “Older Computer-Literate Women: Their Motivations, Obstacles, and Paths to Success.” Educa…
  38. Rowe, John W., and Robert L. Kahn. “Successful Aging.” The Gerontologist 37.4 (1997): 433–440. Web. 29 Apr. 2015.
  39. Rumsey, Suzanne Kesler. “Coming of Age: Amish Heritage Literacy Practices of Rumspringa, Adult Baptism, and S…
  40. ---. “Cooking, Recipes, and Work Ethic: Passage of a Heritage Literacy Practice.” Journal of Literacy and Tec…
  41. ---. “Faith in Action: Heritage Literacy as a Synchronization of Belief, Word, and Deed.” Literacy 44.3 (2010…
  42. College Composition and Communication
  43. Rumsey, Suzanne Kesler, Lauren Marshall Bowen, Ruth E. Ray, and Donora Howard. “The ‘New Discourse City’ of O…
  44. Ryan, Ellen Bouchard, Ann P. Anas, Miranda Beamer, and Selina Bajorek. “Coping with Age-Related Vision Loss i…
  45. Ryan, Lesa, et al. “Evaluation of Printed Health Education Materials for Use by Low-Education Families.” Jour…
  46. Slegers, Karin, Martin P. J. van Boxtel, and Jelle Jolles. “The Effects of Computer Training and Internet Usa…
  47. Spoel, Philippa, Roma Harris, and Flis Henwood. “Rhetorics of Health Citizenship: Exploring Vernacular Critiq…
  48. Street, Brian V. Literacy in Theory and Practice. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1984. Print.
  49. Tam, Maureen. “Understanding and Theorizing the Role of Culture in the Conceptualizations of Successful Aging…