Does the Context of Spousal Loss Affect the Physical Functioning of Older Widowed Persons? A Longitudinal Analysis

Abstract

This study examines: (1) the extent to which acute and chronic stressors related to spousal loss affect the physical functioning of bereaved spouses; and (2) how these patterns differ for men and women. We use data from the Changing Lives of Older Couples (CLOC) study, which tracks older adults prior to spousal loss, and 6, 18, and 48 months after spousal loss. The results reveal that (1) widowed persons whose spouses had serious ongoing health problems before the death report more severe perceived limitation in performing daily activities 18 and 48 months after loss; (2) widowed persons who were not with their spouses when they died have greater functional limitation 18 and 48 months after loss. However, gender interaction term analyses reveal that the health effects of spousal death context hold for widowers only. Our findings suggest that the ways older adults die may have long-term physical health consequences for their surviving spouses, and these ramifications differ for widows and widowers.

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