Paper short abstract:

This paper considers how and why meaningful personal things can and cannot be used to produce a space called home. Sensoriality and emonionality will be introduced as two aspects that can unfold unexpected behavior in the late(r) life period. The paper is based on empirical and theoretical analyses.

Paper long abstract:

For many people Care Homes are a place to spend their late(r) life. When deciding to move to such institutionalized dwelling-facilities, people are faced with a tough question: What will I bring with me - and what happens with all the other things? They have to reduce a whole life`s collection of objects to a minimum, so it will fit in one single room.

In over seven years of research on dwelling in care homes I encountered various ways to decide on that difficult question and to arrange (with) the new home. Sensoriality and emotionality are two crucial aspects that go along with this process, as decision making (and later home-making) is mostly based on them.

But dealing with old things in this changed situation reveals a lot of irritation: There is a lot of envy, anger and devastation in regard to very personal things who seem to challenge us by their potential to outlive us. Some things are even willfully broken by their owners. Those who had the most intense relationship to them, experience therefore - emotionally and sensually - a complete contrary handling to what they were used to treat their belonging.

In my paper I will present how and why meaningful personal things can and cannot be used to produce a space called home. The paper is based on empirical work as well as on theoretical considerations.