Annual of social work, Vol. 1 No. 1, 1994.
Original scientific paper
PSYCHOSOCIAL ADAPTATION TO EXILE IN LATER AGE
Marina Ajduković
; Department of Social Work, Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
Within theprogram ofthe psycho-social help for refugees, the source ofstress and the dijficulties of adjusting to life in exile have been examined. About 63 refugees, aged 67,5 years of age participated in the survey. The data were collected through a structured intervievv. It showed that in exile, the elderly are faced with many losses and stress- generating situations, the most important one being the loss ofhome and previous way of life. The largest number of refugees claims they have more or less “found their way” .As the most significant difficulty, they point to a very uncertain future and the imposed change regarding their life habits. They also mention the occurrence of numerous post-traumatic and stressful reactions. The most significant are imposed ways ofthinking, psycho-somatic dijficulties,psychic tensions anddifficulties with memory and concentration. The acquired data represent the empirical support to the theoretical model ofstress in exile.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
198081
URI
Publication date:
9.12.1994.
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