1. What Is Resilience? Dr. Gill Windle Research Fellow Dementia Services Development Centre Bangor University 19 th May 2009

2. Psychological Resilience The individual as a source of resilience The well-being paradox – how do people maintain well- being when other areas of their lives are less than desirable? Self ratings of health status according to actual levels levels of ill health Source: ESAW data Community based sample (n=1847 from England, Scotland & Wales aged 50+)

3. Psychological Resilience Do psychological resources operate as explanatory mechanisms? Resilience – the ability to recover from or adjust to misfortune or change Personality/psychological resources that enable positive functioning Resilient individuals have been found to possess a range of inner psychological attributes – indicators of resilience Other research that has examined the role of resources such as mastery, self esteem, optimism, has conceptualised these as the basis of reserve capacity that provides a resilient basis in older age (Gallo, Bogart, Vranceanu & Mathews, 2005).

4. Psychological Resilience Within personality research such constructs are often examined in isolation, and little attention has been given to the possibility that they might share a common basis (Judge, Erez, Thoresen & Bono, 2002). X2= 346.29, p<0.01 RMSEA =.04 CFI =.97 SRMR=.04 α =.83 Windle, G., Markland, D. A., & Woods, B. (2008). Examination of a theoretical model of psychological resilience in older age. Aging & Mental Health 12(3), 285- 292. Psychological Resilience Self Esteem Competence Interpersonal Control

5. Psychological resilience and the well-being paradox Interaction between chronic illness and resilience age 60-69 Source: Windle, G., Woods, B., & Markland, D.A. (In Press) Living with ill- health in olderage: the role of a resilient personality. Journal of Happiness Studies. Interaction between material resources and resilience age 50-59 Source: Windle, G. (2006). PhD Thesis.

6. Limitations Data is cross sectional Constraints of secondary data analysis Theoretically plausible, but represents just one of many approaches to resilience in older age Older people with cognitive impairment/dementia not included

7. Planned Research Maintaining Function and Well-Being: A Longitudinal Cohort Study (ESRC, £3.9m) How do the characteristics of the resilient differ from the non-resilient? What is the influence of cognitive impairment on the relationship of resilience and well-being? Does resilience at the initial assessment predict later adaptation regardless of the presence of cognitive impairment? Do earlier life experiences impact on the development of resilience?