ABSTRACT
Bullying among residents of seniors’ communities is a growing concern for staff, residents, and their families (Bonifas, 2016). Existing research has revealed a great deal about why the older adult may bully. Specifically, the transition to these living arrangements reflects a need for increased support in response to declines associated with aging. These declines reflect decreasing autonomy and control and fundamentally challenge an identity as a competent and experienced adult. Taking a communication perspective, this chapter examines how societal ageist discourse is embodied in the structure, practices, and management of seniors’ communities, creating communicative spaces that are threatening to a resident’s identity. In this context, bullying is an attempt to negotiate a valued identity characterized by strength rather than loss. This framing of bullying opens up possibilities for constructive ways of affirming the value, integrity, and agency of the actor/bully and the community.
