Psychosocial adaptation in old age and illness

Old age and illness are an integral part of our lives and therefore affect us all. However, we often forget that these are not isolated phenomena that can always be addressed and solved in some way. On the other hand, many cases are long-term and sometimes lifelong conditions.

The central question here is how a negative health condition will affect an individual's entire life, i.e. what is their ability to accept the reality of their altered health status, but also to function in their personal and professional life. The quality of life is not necessarily determined by the nature of the illness, but by our ability to cope and adapt psychologically. Patients with long-term health problems often receive maximum medical care, but we neglect psychosocial care, even though it can determine the course of the disease and quality of life.

Psychosocial adaptation can be defined as the ability to integrate illness or disability into different areas of life, identity, self-concept and body perception. The present publication systematically summarizes the issue of psychosocial adaptation in old age and illness. It addresses the broader theoretical context, describing current models of psychosocial adaptation, but also providing specific practices in communication and assessment of psychosocial adaptation. It also contains original data from a study on psychosocial adaptation of the elderly in the Czech Republic. This is the first publication on the topic of psychosocial adaptation in old age and illness in the Czech Republic.