Peoria winter

This book is about finding meaning in later life. Based on a study funded by the National Institute on Aging, the book includes information from 400 telephone interviews and 120 collaborative interviews with older adults in Peoria, Illinois. These “second-half” adults discuss the events, transitions, and traumas that have shaped their lives and the ways in which they have coped. The results reflect the full range of the second half of life, in age, gender, martial and family status, and educational and economic level. The interviews show that life is characterized by both periods of change and stability. Beginning with some memorable vignettes, the author analyzes the modes of coping with the many changes life brings. Although no two life journeys are alike, the similarities discovered were striking: the behavior described by those participating in the study demonstrates consistent patterns of coping and characteristic styles for dealing with change.