Digital Storytelling as a Medium for Continuity, Reminiscence, and Narrative Engagement in Later Life

Older adults are repositories of life experiences whose life stories embody cultural, social knowledge that warrants attentive listening and long-term preservation. Sharing such stories is not merely a nostalgic exercise but a crucial process for sustaining personal identity, reinforcing self-worth, and fostering intergenerational bonds. Within the context of aging, where experiences of loss, isolation, and reduced participation are common, narrative practices serve as a therapeutic and empowering tool. Digital Story Telling (DST), short, user-created narratives that combine recorded voice, photographs, and simple editing techniques, offers a dignified platform for older adults to document lived experiences. Beyond a creative outlet, DST operates as a psychosocial intervention. To explore these dynamics systematically, this paper employs a desk- based narrative review methodology to map existing evidence on DST with older adults. Studies consistently demonstrate that participation in DST strengthens social connectedness, enhances communication skills, improves cognitive engagement, and elevates perceived well-being (Stargatt et al., 2022; Chang et al., 2023). These benefits extend across diverse aging groups, including those with cognitive decline, where DST facilitates memory stimulation, supports reminiscence, and restores a sense of identity and self-confidence (Rincón et al., 2022). Such findings echo the principles of reminiscence therapy, narrative gerontology, continuing theory and life-story approaches, in which structured recall and audience interaction are linked to improved mood, resilience, and quality of life (Woods et al., 2018). DST modernizes these traditions by harnessing multimedia tools, enabling participants not only to preserve but also to share their stories to the community. Importantly, DST also addresses broader societal challenges of digital exclusion. When embedded within community-based digital literacy initiatives, it provides older adults with valuable technological competencies, reducing the digital divide and enhancing participation in contemporary cultural practices. The paper discusses the possibilities and benefits of digital storytelling and the digital inclusion of older adults.