Legacy Beliefs Across Generations: Comparing Views of Older Parents and Their Adult Children

Abstract

This mixed-methods study examined legacy beliefs (i.e., anticipated remembrances and linkages to the self after death) as understood in 14 older parent and adult child pairs. This work validates and expands on a 2005 typology of legacy beliefs from gerontologists, Elizabeth Hunter and Graham Rowles. A structured interview was administered separately to parents and children, coded for legacy examples (i.e., those unique to the parent, overlapping, unique to the child), and analyzed with respect to expectations of similarity reported by each participant. Most predicted moderate to high overlap in mutual understanding of parent legacy. This was not the case, as there were far more unique legacy examples given than shared. Pairs agreed least with respect to material legacies, with half showing no agreement. All reported finding the structured discussion of legacy to be beneficial, with some indicating an intention to continue these discussions further. This work may constitute a new approach to intervention.

Leaving a lasting legacy: A scoping review of ethical wills

“…An ethical will may be used as a way to address mortality, clarify life's meaning, communicate what matters most, or supplement formal end-of-life planning documents. Telling one's personal and family stories helps make sense of life experiences and has the power to shape meaning and deepen family relationships (Thompson et al, 2009; Meuser et al, 2019). Creating an ethical will can offer the writer an opportunity to learn about themself, provide a sense of growth and meaning, and leave part of themself behind for others.…”

“…All of the ethical will articles (n = 51) identified in this scoping review discussed sharing, transmitting, or communicating to recipients or survivors, and 84.3% (n = 43) specifically identified the intended audience for the legacy document. This is unlike articles that discussed legacy conceptually without creating a legacy document (Schultz-Krohn, 2002;Morgan, 2003;Hunter and Rowles, 2005;Hunter, 2007;Manoogian et al, 2007;Meuser et al, 2018) or legacy interventions used for individual or group therapy that can be optionally shared with others (Barber, 2008;Ho et al, 2013;Allen et al, 2014;Franklin and Cheung, 2017;Robinson and Murphy-Nugen, 2018). Second, the timeline for ethical will creation is broader than the final days, which provides individuals the opportunity for reflection and revision over time.…”

“…The importance of individuals communicating a legacy of values, through documents such as an ethical will, has been discussed in the literature for more than 20 years as a way to pass on what matters most (Kivnick, 1996; Sapp, 1996; Meuser et al, 2019). Current palliative care practice guidelines underscore the importance of clinical providers being aware of their patients’ existential concerns and highlight the need to identify interventions clinicians can employ that help patients address their mortality and process these concerns as they navigate the end of life (National Consensus Project for Quality Palliative Care, 2018).…”

Comparison of Generation X and Generation Y for Leadership Style Preference with the Moderating Role of Legacy Beliefs

“…Legacy beliefs play a significant role in shaping employees' lives and behaviors. These beliefs can shape how employees approach their roles, emphasizing the importance of leaving behind a meaningful contribution that will be remembered and have enduring influence (Meuser et. al., 2019).…”

“…al., 2019). Legacy beliefs shape employees' leadership behaviors and guide in their approach to work, emphasizing the importance of leaving a meaningful and lasting contribution (Zacher et al, 2011;Meuser et al, 2019). Understanding legacy beliefs is crucial for comprehending individuals' long-term influence and remembrance perspectives, which influence their leadership styles.…”