Why people over 70 may give away treasured possessions

When people over 70 begin giving away dishes, tools, rings or other belongings, they may not simply be clearing out unnecessary objects. Psychology and gerontology research suggests that possessions can carry memories, relationships and parts of a person's identity.

A home can become a personal archive. Letters, a table service used for decades or a tool that belonged to a parent may hold meaning unrelated to their financial value. As people's needs change, they may stop using certain items, move to a smaller home or begin considering who could make use of what they no longer need.

A study published in the Journal of Aging Studies examined the meaning of possessions for 88 older people. It found that belongings could symbolize relationships, aspects of the self, memories and past experiences. Sociologist David J. Ekerdt of the University of Kansas has also studied possessions in the second half of life, explaining that objects accumulated through roles as parents, workers or family members eventually become a social question because someone must decide what happens to them.

Giving away a possession can be one way of deciding its future. The recipient may matter as much as the object itself. A dish, watch or piece of jewelry can carry family history. Tools, books or instruments can recall a working life, while photographs, letters and travel objects can preserve memories. Giving an item to a child, grandchild or friend can also connect that history to another person and allow part of its meaning to continue.

In interviews conducted for their research, Ekerdt and his colleagues found that some older participants felt satisfied when they found someone who valued an object they no longer needed.