Alexander I. Smirnov

Polina M. Kozyreva

This article deals with the problems and peculiarities of Russian pensioners’ adapting to conditions of prolonged economic crisis, which has brought many of them to the brink of survival forcing people to turn to the backup methods of social adaptation. The analysis is based on Russia Longitudinal Monitoring Survey of HSE (RLMS-HSE) data. It is shown that feelings of shrinking social opportunities impact considerably dynamics and venues for elderly people adaptation to crisis situation. Deteriorating living conditions of pensioners often lead them to save, rather than activate effective coping mechanisms. Such saving strategy helps to survive, but does not improve/maintain usual standard of living. A decrease in the level of material and social claims, interest for quality aspects of life, as well as inert thinking hampers the adaptation process to everyday living conditions for elderly folk, drastically restricting the scope of action for effective adaptation mechanisms. However, intensifying weariness and pessimistic expectations regarding ever deepening crisis are usually combined with readiness to endure hardships of life and burdens of crisis period without any commotion or panic and without doing any harm to the one’s health. Pensioners aable to work or to receive financial and psychological support from their families are much better off. The article analyzes problems of the elder generation’s employment currently not being resolved consistently and effectively enough.