Gerontology October 29 2012 Stress and Coping in Later Life Stressors Objective conditions that tax an individual s emotional physically and cognitive resources Poverty chronic disease arguments friend s illness Distress Individual s psychological and physical response to those conditions Depressive symptoms physical symptoms Types of Stressors 1 Life Events Require significant adjustment Examples in later life Widowhood retirement relocation to long term care 2 Chronic Stressors Persistent hardships or problems Examples Poverty family caregiving 3 Daily Hassles Routine challenges of everyday life Examples Arguments mistakes being late Life Events vs Daily Hassles Experience fewer life events vs daily hassles 7 10 life events in a lifetime Daily hassles may be more important to health because occur more frequently Contribute to stress accumulation The Stress Process Model Exposure Likelihood will experience a stressor Appraisal How to evaluate the stressor Reactivity Likelihood one will react emotionally or physically to the stressor Studying Daily Hassles Interpersonal Tensions Since this time yesterday have you had an argument or disagreement with anyone Happens mostly between 25 30 years old Overloads Did anything happen at work that most people would consider stressful Network Events Did anything happen to a close friend or relative that turned out to be stressful for you Age Differences in Exposure Most daily stressors Young Adults Most interpersonal tensions Young Adults Most overloads Middle aged Adults Most network stressors Older Adults Age Differences in Reactivity Most distress Young Adults Less distress Middle aged Older Adults Why are older adults less reactive to stressors Reflect differences in content of stressors ability to regulate negative emotions and differences in appraisals Stress and Coping Paradigm Stressor Cognitive Appraisal Distress Different people react to the same stressor differently Takes into account personal resources Importance of appraisal Cognitive Behavioral Model of Stress Primary Appraisal Is this stressful If no then no distress What makes something stressful Situations that are uncontrollable or unpredictable Ambiguous situations When required to do simultaneous tasks Secondary Appraisal How do I cope Problem focused coping Emotion focused coping Coping Manner in which a person responds to stress Coping with Stress Problem focused coping Doing something directly related to the problem Ex Studying for an exam Emotion focused coping Dealing with one s feelings situations that are difficult or impossible to tackle Ex Express anger over an illness Emotion Focused Coping Practice makes perfect more common in later life Involves managing the of situations meaning Compare self to others in similar position Change priorities Focus on past successes Coping Resources Resources related to coping with stress Availability of social support Personality Locus of control Internal vs External Functional ability cognitive status self esteem Locus of Control Personal Control The degree to which one believes that one s performance in a situation depends on something that one personally does Internal Control Believe outcomes within one s control External Control Believe outcomes are outside one s control Stress and Health Stress Physiological response Risk taking Health behaviors Mental Physical Health How the body reacts to stress depends on the appraisal process Stress Aging How does our ability to handle stress change with age Stress response becomes less responsive with age More difficult to deactivate or shut down our stress response with age Stress hormones are elevated in older adults Aging Stress and Health Does stress accelerate aging Those under excessive stress how earlier aging Stress associated with increased risk of disease diabetes heart disease osteoporosis Damaged hippocampus secrete more stress hormones that cause further damage Why Zebras Don t Get Ulcers Unique to humans Psychological social stress Anticipatory stress Can trigger just be thinking about stress Stress Survivors Secrets to a Good Long Life 1 Exercise decreases disease risk improves mood 2 Games associated with stress relief longevity 3 Humor associated with less stress anxiety 4 Optimism optimist live longer 5 Work work you enjoy adds meaning reduces stress 6 Meditation some evidence for daily 15 30min 7 Social support positive social support 8 Cognitive flexibility right style for the situation Stress management should occur almost daily
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