Abstract
This study explored how older adults cope with uncontrollable life events such as serious health problems, the burden of looking after aging family members, and the loss of loved ones, based on the concept of fit-focused secondary control. In semi-structured interviews, 24 participants between 70-74 years old were asked how they had coped or were coping with uncontrollable life events. Interview transcripts were analyzed using a modified grounded theory approach, which resulted in 12 concepts and four categories. Older adults who used secondary control tended to (1) recognize that their physical and cognitive decline caused an imbalance between their personal goals and resources; (2) accepted their decline by realizing that there is diversity in life courses; (3) adjusted to their decline with a realistic assessment of their remaining resources; and (4) used their social networks and recreational opportunities to cope with prolonged and uncontrollable negative life events.
