Senior Stress Scale
| ADULT AGE LIFE EVENT | RANK |
| 1. Death of a spouse | 100 |
| 2. Divorce | 73 |
| 3. Move to nursing/retirement home | 70 |
| 4. Marital separation | 65 |
| 5. Death of a close family member | 64 |
| 6. Major physical problems | 53 |
| 7. Marriage or remarriage | 50 |
| 8. Realizing a personal lack of dreams/purpose | 47 |
| 9. Financial loss of retirement money | 47 |
| 10. Forced early retirement | 46 |
| 11. Unable to drive | 45 |
| 12. Marital reconciliation | 45 |
| 13. Retirement | 45 |
| 14. Spouse confined to retirement home | 45 |
| 15. Change of health of family member | 44 |
| 16. Gain a new family member | 39 |
| 17. Change in financial state | 38 |
| 18. Death of a close friend | 37 |
| 19. Difficulty in getting medical insurance | 36 |
| 20. Change in number of arguments with spouse | 35 |
| 21. Mortgage over $100,000 | 31 |
| 22. Foreclosure of mortgage/loan | 30 |
| 23. Sense of not being needed | 29 |
| 24. Outstanding personal achievement | 28 |
| 25. Spouse begins or stops work | 26 |
| 26. Significantly decreased contact with children or friends | 25 |
| 27. Revision of personal habits | 24 |
| 28. Significantly less contact with support group/s | 24 |
| 29. Trouble with the boss | 23 |
| 30. Minor physical problems | 20 |
| 31. Change in recreation habits | 19 |
| 32. Change in church activities | 19 |
| 33. Change in social activities | 18 |
| 34. Loans of less than $100,000 | 17 |
| 35. Change in sleeping habits | 16 |
| 36. Change in number of family get-togethers | 15 |
| 37. Change in eating habits | 15 |
| 38. Vacations | 13 |
| 39. Christmas | 12 |
| 40. Minor law violation | 11 |
As you think and pray about the non-Christian seniors in your network of friends, neighbors and relatives, use this stress scale as one way to identify those whom the Holy Spirit may be preparing to invite into the Kingdom. Those who are in the midst of significant life-changes are most likely to be receptive to God’s need-meeting love, as expressed through your church’s senior-adult ministry. Watch…listen…be sensitive to these times of need…and then be ready to "give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have" (1 Peter 3:15).