abstract: 'Background:Co-morbidity is a major late-life challenge with poor

  outcomes, yet many older people are resilient. We consider an

  ecopsychosocial framework of resilience to investigate this disparity.

  This theorises that sources of resilience may be personal, social and

  structural. We explored older people''s responses and reactions to

  significant life experiences, to understand resilience development for

  managing later life health challenges. Methods:We applied a two-stage,

  cross-sectional mixed-methods design to the Cognitive Function and

  Ageing Studies Wales (CFAS Wales). Participants'' defined quantitatively

  as resilient (high level of well-being despite co-morbidity) were

  identified in the wave 1 dataset. A sub-sample of the resilient

  participants aged 65+ were randomly selected for semi-structured

  interviews (N= 20). Qualitative thematic analyses were both inductive

  and deductive. Results:The analyses revealed four primary life

  experiences reflecting different developmental trajectories. ``Early

  years as formative{''''} and ``work and employment as formative{''''}

  occurred at normative developmental stages in the life-course. In

  contrast non-normative life events such as loss, bereavement, illness of

  self, and others underpinned the themes of ``adverse events and

  experiences{''''} and ``caring experiences.{''''} Four potential mechanisms

  for resilience were central to these life experiences, reflecting

  reactions, actions, and development: ``character and self-identity;{''''}

  ``approach to life and insight;{''''} ``meaningful relationships and

  belonging.{''''} Conclusions:This work contributes further theoretical

  insights into the ecopsychosocial resilience framework. It highlights

  the process of interdependence between the individual and the wider

  environment, suggesting how the availability and accessibility of

  resources and human agency (protective factors), can influence, and be

  influenced by, the timing of significant events and experiences. In

  doing so, it corroborates international healthy ageing policy which

  recognises resilience as important for a public health response to

  support older people to adjust to changes and losses experienced in

  later life. It highlights the importance of current and future policies

  and services for supporting the management of adverse events earlier in

  the life-course, and recommends that policies and services take a ``long

  view{''''} on population health and well-being and consider the whole

  life-course, in addition to specific points in the ageing process.'
affiliation: 'Windle, G (Corresponding Author), Bangor Univ, Sch Hlth Sci, Dementia
  Serv Dev Ctr Wales Res Ctr, Bangor, Gwynedd, Wales.

  Windle, Gill; MacLeod, Catherine, Bangor Univ, Sch Hlth Sci, Dementia Serv Dev Ctr
  Wales Res Ctr, Bangor, Gwynedd, Wales.

  Bennett, Kate M., Univ Liverpool, Sch Psychol, Liverpool, Merseyside, England.'
article-number: '502314'
author: Windle, Gill and Bennett, Kate M. and MacLeod, Catherine and Team, CFAS WALES
  Res
author-email: g.windle@bangor.ac.uk
author_list:
- family: Windle
  given: Gill
- family: Bennett
  given: Kate M.
- family: MacLeod
  given: Catherine
- family: Team
  given: CFAS WALES Res
da: '2023-09-28'
doi: 10.3389/fmed.2020.502314
eissn: 2296-858X
files: []
journal: FRONTIERS IN MEDICINE
keywords: 'resilience; health; life course; adverse events; co-morbidites; healthy

  ageing'
keywords-plus: ILL-HEALTH; SATISFACTION; ADVERSITY; DEMENTIA; CARERS; AGE
language: English
month: SEP 22
number-of-cited-references: '48'
orcid-numbers: MacLeod, Catherine/0000-0002-9314-7380
papis_id: aba0021aad42ac7b3b9eeadecd980b43
ref: Windle2020influencelife
researcherid-numbers: 'Bennett, Kate/JCP-4878-2023

  '
times-cited: '9'
title: The Influence of Life Experiences on the Development of Resilience in Older
  People With Co-morbid Health Problems
type: article
unique-id: WOS:000575145300001
usage-count-last-180-days: '0'
usage-count-since-2013: '13'
volume: '7'
web-of-science-categories: Medicine, General \& Internal
year: '2020'