Giving Up and Replacing Activities in Response to Illness

Abstract

Data from a longitudinal study of 250 older adults were used to examine activity loss and replacement as a consequence of an important illness episode. Multiple regression analyses revealed that reductions in activity were predicted by physical factors, specifically illness chronicity and severity. In contrast, replacing lost activities was facilitated by social support and optimism and inhibited by a belief in the need to conserve physical resources. An examination of the long-term benefits of replacing activities revealed that older adults who replaced a lost activity had higher positive affect levels 1 year after illness onset than those who did not replace activities. Continuing activity during illness episodes can help maintain positive well-being over time.

Self‐Regulation Processes and Health: The Importance of Optimism and Goal Adjustment

“…Related research by the Leventhals and their colleagues (H. Duke, Leventhal, Brownlee, & E. Leventhal, 2002) has also documented the beneficial effects of goal reengagement. They studied a group of older adults, some of whom were having to abandon their physical activities because of health-related problems.…”

“…For example, research by Duke et al (2002) suggests that optimism may be implicated in the ability to reengage in substitute goals. In a similar vein, Aspinwall and Richter (1999) have shown that viable alternatives facilitate faster disengagement from unsolvable tasks among optimists but not among pessimists.…”

Exploring a new theory of successful aging among low-income older adults in an independent and assisted living community.

“…The theory was relatively concrete, concepts were well-defined, and the model was parsimonious, with only three major concepts, and had been extensively tested in a series of studies which confirmed all major propositions (Abraham & Hansson, 1995;Baltes, M., Wahl, & Reichert, 1991;Duke, Leventhal, Brownlee, & Brownlee, 2002;Lang, Rieckmann, & Baltes, M., 2002).…”

Influencia de la personalidad en la salud y en la participación social de las personas mayores: el papel de la extraversión y del optimismo.

“…Con respecto a la participación social se ha encontrado que este rasgo de personalidad se asocia con mayores tasas de participación social tanto en mayores con problemas de salud como en mayores sanos o sin dificultades de salud importantes (Duke et al, 2002;Heo y Lee, 2010). Además las personas que puntúan alto en optimismo tienen buenas habilidades sociales, lo que les permite establecer nuevas relaciones sociales con facilidad y mantener las que ya tienen (Geers, Reilley y Dember, 1998;Norem y Chang, 2002).…”