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Background/aim:  The phenomenon of ageing is so commonplace that it is ordinarily taken‐for‐granted, with little call to question its meaning. Of importance to occupational therapists is the recent appeal to understand older adults’ ordinary ways of everyday living. The aim of this interpretive phenomenological study was to understand the meaning of ‘being aged’ through the everyday experiences of those who are long‐lived.

Methods:  The writings of two philosophers, Hans‐Georg Gadamer and Martin Heidegger, guided the study’s design and research methods. Being aged in the context of everyday living was the phenomenon of interest. Individual interviews were conducted with 15 community‐dwelling New Zealand elders: four Maori aged 71–93 years and 11 non‐Maori aged 80–97 years. Stories of going about daily occupations and particular moments in the day were elicited during conversational‐style …