It is a feeling that is relevant from the cradle to the grave and it is a global and universal need. The need to matter applies to people of all ages and of vastly different backgrounds and cultures. These common needs to matter to others and to belong fit well the general belief that people of all backgrounds are more similar than they are different, and that we should focus to a greater degree on commonalities and what brings us together than on apparent differences which can serve to divide us. They also share a basic need to feel connected to other people and feel a sense of fit rather than feeling like a misfit. The quote above from Nancy Schlossberg from her seminal work on mattering versus marginalization reflects the fact that even though people can and do differ enormously, they share a need to feel valued and significant to other people who care about them. This article is about the need to matter among older people. “… the most important lesson is that even with our differences, we are connected by the need to matter and the need to belong.” (Schlossberg 1989, p. Key directions for future research are also highlighted along with ways to expand the mattering concept to more fully understand and appreciate the relevance of mattering among older adults. This article concludes with a discussion of initiatives and interventions that can be modified and enhanced to instill a sense of mattering among older adults. Mattering is also discussed in terms of its links with loneliness and physical health. We provide a comprehensive review of past research on individual differences in mattering among older adults and illustrate the unique role of mattering in potentially protecting older adults from mental health problems. We contrast this feeling with messages of not mattering and being expendable and disposable due to ageism, gaps in the provision of care, and apparently economically focused positions taken during the pandemic that disrespect the value, worth, and merits of older persons. Mattering is the feeling of being important to others in ways that give people the sense that they are valued and other people care about them. The current commentary and review examines the potentially protective role of feelings of mattering among elderly people during typical times and the current atypical times associated with the COVID-19 global pandemic.
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