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Resilience among older women.
Image--The Journal of Nursing Scholarship
|January 1, 1990
Summary
Older women facing loss demonstrate resilience through equanimity, self-reliance, perseverance, meaningfulness, and existential aloneness. These characteristics are vital for successful psychosocial adjustment in later life.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Psychology
- Sociology
Background:
- Successful adjustment in older adults is crucial for well-being.
- Major life losses can significantly impact psychosocial adjustment in later life.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and describe characteristics of older women who have successfully adjusted after a major loss.
- To explore the concept of resilience in the context of late-life adjustment.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative study utilizing a grounded theory approach.
- Data collected from older women who reported a recent major loss and demonstrated successful adjustment (social involvement, high morale).
Main Results:
- Five key themes constituting resilience were identified: equanimity, self-reliance, existential aloneness, perseverance, and meaningfulness.
- These themes collectively contribute to successful psychosocial adjustment in older women.
Conclusions:
- Resilience, characterized by the identified themes, is a critical component of successful psychosocial adjustment in older age.
- The findings offer insights into the psychological resources that support older adults navigating significant life changes.