Older Men Coping With Widowhood

Dale A. Lund, PhD, Professor of Gerontology & Sociology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
Michael S. Caserta, PhD, Associate Professor of Gerontology & Health Promotion & Education, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.

Although men are less likely than women to outlive their spouses, 27% of men age 65 and over in Canada are widowed and in the U.S., 43% of men over age 85 are widowed. Rather than relying on cultural stereotypes about how men cope with widowhood and bereavement, research findings can be used to provide a more accurate description of their process of adjustment, identify their most common difficulties, and offer valuable suggestions for effective ways to maintain and restore a high quality of daily life.
Key words: widowhood, widowers, grief, bereavement, coping.