COPING STRATEGIES, DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS, A NXIETY AND WELL-BEING OF THE ELDERLY IN AN INSTITUTIONAL SETTING

Older persons Living in Residential and extended care centres (RECC) h ave to cope with various stressors associated with institutional life. While some residents cope successfully, a large proportion of this po pulation presents difficulties in adjustment. Knowledge about the role of coping strategies in the adjustment process to nursing home stress ors is limited to strategies used in the first few months following ad mission to RECC. The goal of this exploratory study was to determine h ow various coping strategies are related to depressive symptoms, anxie ty and well-being of 90 residents living in RECC for more than three m onths. Individual interviews were used to collect the data. Significan t correlations were observed between measures of psychological adaptat ion and the strategies of escape-avoidance and seeking social support. These results confirm than certain coping strategies are associated w ith adaptation to life in RECC.