La viudez en adultos mayores

Abstract

Widowhood in older people is a painful event characterized by grief or bereavement, loneliness, loss of companionship and changes in daily organization; the process of coping with widowhood was studied through four dimensions: couple relationship, behavioral coping, cognitive coping and affective coping. The aim of this research was to determine the processes of coping with widowhood in older adults of the Pilahuin parish of the Ambato canton. The population consisted of a total of 20 widowed older adults, 10 women and 10 men, in which a qualitative approach methodology was used; the technique applied was the semi-structured interview, based on the construction of a 15-question instrument, validated through the judgment criteria of four experts; In order to investigate the mentioned dimensions, a semantic network was elaborated that made possible the analysis and synthesis of the information through the matrix of experiences, where it was determined that the coping process for older adults involves a series of emotional, social and family changes as well as changes in their daily life. In addition, a proposal for individual, family, group and community intervention was made with the objective of contributing to the process of coping with widowhood, to improve intergenerational coexistence, strengthen social support networks, the use of free time and the process of coping with grief