Abstract

This scoping review of the cherished possessions of older adults identified the types of objects and reasons why an object is cherished in order to understand the role that cherished objects play in an older adult’s life. Studies were selected based on the following criteria: a) studies must use “cherished possessions’’ and “older adults’’ as themes, b) focus on participants aged 60 years or older, c) use a qualitative methodology, and d) published between 2012 and 2022. Sixteen studies were identified and analyzed. Nine categories explaining why an object is cherished were identified: 1) construction of the self, 2) meaningful memories, 3) inherited, 4) identity, 5) social interactions, 6) social status, 7) religious or spiritual, 8) autonomy, and 9) comfort. This article supports the work of designers focused on older people in terms of what they find valuable in their favorite objects. Knowing the most valued objects for older people opens the designer’s perspective toward creating solutions that promote care for the aging population. The practical implications relate to exploring whether the identified reasons can become design strategies.