What is a person–environment fit? How does this concept apply in late adulthood?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Longitudinal research shows that negative reactions to caregiving can result in persisting depression. But whether assistance from others undermines well-being depends on many factors, including the quality of help, the caregiver–older adult relationship, and the social and cultural context in which helping occurs. In Western societies, which highly value independence, many older adults fear relinquishing control and becoming dependent on others. As physical and cognitive limitations increase, granting older adults the freedom to choose those areas in which they desire help preserves their autonomy. Dependency can be adaptive if it permits older people to remain in control by choosing those areas in which they desire help. In this way, they can conserve their strength by investing it in self-chosen, highly valued activities, using selective optimization with compensation. Assistance aimed at enabling older adults use their capacities fully in pursuit of their goals sustains an effective person–environment fit—a good match between their abilities and the demands of their living environments, which promotes adaptive behavior and psychological well-being. When people cannot maximize use of their capacities (have become excessively dependent), they react with boredom and passivity. When they encounter environmental demands that are too great (receive too little assistance), they experience overwhelming stress.