Investigated relationship between life events and alcohol behavior among those 60 years of age and older (N=1,410) in two retirement and two age-hetereogeneous communities. Found, contrary to expectations, the experience of life events pointed toward a decrease in drinking. Social support networks were not significant mediators of the impact of…

Self-reports of frequency of crying episodes are described for two nonclinical samples of younger and older adult men and women. Comparison of samples revealed no evidence for either a decreased or increased frequency of crying among the older sample. Crying episodes function as an adaptive coping response to and should not be automatically…

Administered questionnaires on religion and well-being to 836 older adults. Found moderately strong correlations between morale and three religious measures (organizational religious activity, nonorganizational religious activity, intrinsic religiosity). For women and subjects aged 75 and older, religious behaviors and attitudes were particularly…

Examined the responses of a group of middle-aged and older adults (N=34) to colostomy surgery. Analyzed the relationship between the method and focus of coping and age, sickness-related dysfunction, and depression. Found that neither a lower level of active behavioral coping nor age itself was correlated with depression or dysfunction. (Author/ABB)

Used data from interviews with 131 older spouse caregivers to explore potential explanations for gender differences in reported caregiver burden. Linear regression model explained 35 percent of variance in caregiver burden. Patient's cognitive and behavioral difficulties emerged as most important predictor of burden, followed by caregiver age,…

Purpose: This study investigated the use of private prayer among middle-aged and older patients as a way of coping with cardiac surgery and prayer's relationship to optimism. Design and Methods: The measure of prayer included three aspects: (a) belief in the importance of private prayer, (b) faith in the efficacy of prayer on the basis of previous…

Purpose: Research underscores how autonomy and decision-making involvement may help to enhance the quality of life of older adults; however, individuals with dementia are often excluded from decision making that is related to their daily functioning. In this study we use a modified version of the Stress Process Model to consider the stress process…