Sample of Community-Dwelling Women Older Than Age 85

Resilience in women older than age 85 is defined as the response of rebound and improvement in function after devastating illness. Using a snowball recruitment method, 7 women from a midwestern U.S. city participated (mean age = 88.625 years), representing various ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Re-sponses from these women related to resilience after illness late in life included their experiences with frailty, determination to overcome adversity, previous ex-perience with hardship, ability to access care, cultural influences, family sup-port, caring for self, caring for others, and descriptions of functioning similar to an efficient machine. Further research is needed to explore resilience in older women; however, specific nursing interventions are suggested related to these themes. Resilience in a Multicultura