ABSTRACT
Old age is a stage in life in which numerous changes associated with loss can be expected to occur in major life domains. Deterioration of health, retirement, relocation, occupational and fi nancial loss, loss of social roles, identity, status, support, and the loss of spouse and signifi cant others (siblings, friends) pose an ongoing threat to everyday functioning, forcing the individual to adapt. Thus, effective functioning in daily life presents a major developmental task for the aging (Baltes & Carstensen, 1996; Marsiske, Lang, Baltes & Baltes, 1995). There is marked variability in adjustment among the elderly, and despite the numerous losses associated with aging, many are well adjusted, and report experiencing high levels of well-being (George & Clipp, 1991; Wetle, 1990).
