COPING STRATEGIES AMONG PAKISTANI ELDERLY: COPING IN EVERYDAY LIFE AND IN STRESSFUL CONDITIONS

Abstract

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to probe into the coping strategies adopted by the elderly residing in community in the everyday life and stressful conditions. Interview schedule was used as the tool of data collection. Equal representation was given to elderly male and female in sample of 624 elderly aged 60+ using multi stage sampling technique. The results show that majority of the respondents used company of age fellows, household duties, and prayer as coping strategies to deal with the routine life disengagement. In case of illness, loss of roles and status, stress, misbehaviour of family and in problematic situation, majority of the respondents reported the involvement in emotional coping like aggressive behaviour, isolation, depressed feeling, restricted family interaction, seeking social support and remaining silent to compromise the situation, while a small fraction adopted problem solving coping. Moreover, the finding of study revealed that female elderly are using more emotional coping than male elderly; they are more prone to the spiritual coping (recitation of Holly Quran, offer prayers) to seek social support.