COPING STRATEGIES FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF AN ELDERLY PARENT

This study examines the resources considered most helpful by 83 adults , aged 35 to 60, in coping with the death of a parent. Friends, family members and peers who themselves had experienced a parent's death wer e most often cited as being particularly important resources. Daughter s were more likely than sons to report receiving help from friends, fa mily and religion, whereas sons were somewhat more likely to see work as helpful. Implications for practice include the need to offer suppor t groups as well as family counseling for adults who have lost a paren t.