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Abstract

This contribution is aimed to put forward the theoretical position that general perceptions of stressfulness in the actual life Situation do not simply reflect concrete episodes, experiences and events, but are at least in part result of former coping processes, initiated to maintain or (re-)establish a personal satisfying perspective on life. In a first step we describe stressful episodes, experiences and events in the actual life Situation of 150 dependent old. In the following parts the relationship between an objective measure of stress and perceptions of stressfulness in actual life Situation, the impact of the quality of medical treatment and social Services on this relationship, and proposals for a possible improvement of medical treatment and social Services are discussed. Results do confirm our hypothesis that quality of medical treatment and social Services can be conceptualized as a personal resource buffering the impact of specific episodes, experiences and events on general perceptions of stressfulness.