How do older adults cope with their ageing and age? : Personal coping strategies of Czech older people
Abstract
Old age brings many new stressful events which usually persist and as a whole are a basis of chronic stress of ageing. Underlying the life of the elderly, there is a general factor that could be described as a personal coping strategy that predetermines behaviour and experience in relation to one's own old age and ageing.
Two principal coping strategies have been identified: offensive (proactive) and defensive (passive adaptive) strategy as well as their symptoms. In June 2021, the author conducted an anonymous online survey of people 60+ with a total of 2031 respondents.
The analysis identified some significant differences among older adults within the strategies. A critical mark within the older population in terms of coping strategies is educational attainment.
Defensive strategies may be applied more frequently in rural areas and after a career in blue-collar and service occupations. The age up to about 80 years did not prove to be decisive.