What do we know about resilience in older adults? An exploration of some facts, factors, and facets

As the field of gerontology has become better established and developed more historical perspective and interdisciplinary depth, we can note a progression in thinking about concepts and theories of aging, what the experience of getting older means, and how it can be shaped as a process (e.g. Bengtson et al. 2008). Conceptual theses generate antitheses resulting in syntheses and new directions for research. So it is with the development of the concept of resilience with respect to older adults. Just as early research characterizing normal aging led to the excitement and enthusiasm surrounding the concept of successful aging, so, too, has this latter concept given way to the more recent concept of resilience in aging. © 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC