RESUMEN
PURPOSE: To investigate the adverse and favorable situations experienced by elderly people in chronic health conditions, and the coping strategies. METHODOLOGY: The sample included 18 elderly. The information was collected through interviews with open questions. The "Collective Subject Discourse" technique was used for analysis. RESULTS: The findings demonstrated that death and separation from the family were perceived as the most significant adverse situations, while the favorable situations included the family, wisdom, experience, retirement, and life itself. The coping strategies focused on the problem and the emotion. Emotion-focused coping included: belief in God, maintaining the usual activities, family and significant other support, participation in elderly social groups and rejection of losses related to the aging process. The problem-focused coping consisted of the medical treatment and body care.