Stefano Cavalli

Bereavement in Very Old Age: Impact on Health and Relationships of the Loss of a Spouse, a Child, a Sibling, or a Close Friend

This article deals with the following two questions: In very old age, which are the main sources of bereavement? And what are the consequences of such losses on health and on relationships? The findings are based on the complete set of data compiled in the course of the Swiss Interdisciplinary Longitudinal Study on the Oldest Old (SWILSOO), which provided a 10-year follow-up of a first cohort (1994–2004) and a 5-year follow-up of a second (1999–2004). The data revealed that, in very old age, the great majority of the dear ones who died were either siblings or close friends. Taken as a whole, the bereaved suffered a marked and lasting increase in depressive symptoms, together with a short-term deterioration in their functional status; those bereft of a spouse or a child saw their functional status worsen and exhibited enduring depressive symptoms but they also benefited from support in the form of increased interaction; those bereft of siblings only suffered from a mild, short-term deterioration in functional status; those who had lost a close friend suffered a very significant increase in depressive symptoms. In the medium term, most of these effects disappeared, lending weight to the claim that the survivors manage to cope with the misfortunes of life.

The Death of a Loved One: Impact on Health and Relationships in Very Old Age:

The death of a significant other is seen as a major life disruption. What are the consequences when such a loss occurs during advanced old age? Based on observation of an octogenarian cohort over a period of five years (1994–1999), this study investigates the impact of losing a significant other (close relative or friend) on the health of elders and on their family and social life. The bereaved are compared with two control groups: one declaring no significant change in their life and the other reporting a loss unrelated to bereavement. Results show that the death of a significant other has no impact on the measures of functional and physical health, nor is it a factor of isolation. However, the loss of a close relative is associated with more depressive symptoms while that of a relative or friend is related to the survivors feeling of loneliness.

Mudanças e acontecimentos ao longo da vida: um estudo comparativo entre grupos de idosos

2 PhD, Profesor Asociado, Universidade Federal da Paraiba, Joao Pessoa, PB, Brasil.3 PhD, Profesor Asociado, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.4 PhD, Profesor Doctor, Universidade Federal da Paraiba, Joao Pessoa, PB, Brasil.5 PhD, Profesor, Center of Competence on Aging, DEASS, University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI), Suiza.OBJECTIVE: to identify the changes which had occurred over the last year in the life of older adults, as well as the values attributed to these changes. METHOD: this is a multicentric, cross-sectional study, of the inquiry type, undertaken in three cities of the Brazilian Northeast, investigating two distinct groups of older adults. RESULTS: among the 236 older adults interviewed, it was observed that 30.0% reported health as the main change in their life course in the last year, this category being the most significant response among the older adults aged between 80 and 84 years old (37.7%). Changes in the family were mentioned by 11.5% of the older adults; death (9.6%) and alterations in routine activities (9.6%). In relation to the value attributed to these changes, it was ascertained that for 64.7% of the older adults aged between 65 and 69 years old, these changes were positive. In the older group, 49.4% of the older adults believe that their changes were related to losses. CONCLUSION: the knowledge of the changes mentioned, the value attributed to these changes, and the self-evaluation of health provide information which assists in formulating actions which are more specific to the real needs of these age groups. They also provide the health professionals with a better understanding of how some experiences are experienced in the life trajectories of these older adults.

Changes and events over life course: a comparative study between groups of older adults

2 PhD, Profesor Asociado, Universidade Federal da Paraiba, Joao Pessoa, PB, Brasil.3 PhD, Profesor Asociado, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.4 PhD, Profesor Doctor, Universidade Federal da Paraiba, Joao Pessoa, PB, Brasil.5 PhD, Profesor, Center of Competence on Aging, DEASS, University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI), Suiza.OBJECTIVE: to identify the changes which had occurred over the last year in the life of older adults, as well as the values attributed to these changes. METHOD: this is a multicentric, cross-sectional study, of the inquiry type, undertaken in three cities of the Brazilian Northeast, investigating two distinct groups of older adults. RESULTS: among the 236 older adults interviewed, it was observed that 30.0% reported health as the main change in their life course in the last year, this category being the most significant response among the older adults aged between 80 and 84 years old (37.7%). Changes in the family were mentioned by 11.5% of the older adults; death (9.6%) and alterations in routine activities (9.6%). In relation to the value attributed to these changes, it was ascertained that for 64.7% of the older adults aged between 65 and 69 years old, these changes were positive. In the older group, 49.4% of the older adults believe that their changes were related to losses. CONCLUSION: the knowledge of the changes mentioned, the value attributed to these changes, and the self-evaluation of health provide information which assists in formulating actions which are more specific to the real needs of these age groups. They also provide the health professionals with a better understanding of how some experiences are experienced in the life trajectories of these older adults.

Cambios y acontecimientos a lo largo de la vida: un estudio comparativo entre grupos de ancianos

2 PhD, Profesor Asociado, Universidade Federal da Paraiba, Joao Pessoa, PB, Brasil.3 PhD, Profesor Asociado, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.4 PhD, Profesor Doctor, Universidade Federal da Paraiba, Joao Pessoa, PB, Brasil.5 PhD, Profesor, Center of Competence on Aging, DEASS, University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI), Suiza.OBJECTIVE: to identify the changes which had occurred over the last year in the life of older adults, as well as the values attributed to these changes. METHOD: this is a multicentric, cross-sectional study, of the inquiry type, undertaken in three cities of the Brazilian Northeast, investigating two distinct groups of older adults. RESULTS: among the 236 older adults interviewed, it was observed that 30.0% reported health as the main change in their life course in the last year, this category being the most significant response among the older adults aged between 80 and 84 years old (37.7%). Changes in the family were mentioned by 11.5% of the older adults; death (9.6%) and alterations in routine activities (9.6%). In relation to the value attributed to these changes, it was ascertained that for 64.7% of the older adults aged between 65 and 69 years old, these changes were positive. In the older group, 49.4% of the older adults believe that their changes were related to losses. CONCLUSION: the knowledge of the changes mentioned, the value attributed to these changes, and the self-evaluation of health provide information which assists in formulating actions which are more specific to the real needs of these age groups. They also provide the health professionals with a better understanding of how some experiences are experienced in the life trajectories of these older adults.