Challenges and Healthy Ageing: The Role of Resilience Across the Life Course
Dr. Gill WindleInstitute of Medical and Social Care Research, Bangor University, Wales, UKResilience is receiving increasing interest across policy, practice and research inrelation to its potential impact on health, well-being and quality of life. As part of theLifelong Health and Well-Being Programme the Medical Research Council is particularlyinterested in the interaction between determinants of healthy ageing, and to improve theunderstanding of the interplay between factors that influence healthy ageing, resilienceand well-being.But there is little consensus regarding definitions and measurement of resilience, anddebate about the factors that contribute to its’ maintenance or reduction. There is littleinformation regarding the developmental pattern of resilience over the life-course. Is itsomething about the community in which a person lives which makes them resilient, or is there a biological predisposition? Is resilience a psychological resource that isdeveloped over the lifespan, or does it develop from exposure to difficulties or risks,enabling a person to develop the capacity to ‘bounce-back’? Do resiliency factors inchildhood affect resilience to challenges and inequalities in older age?Resilience could be the key to understanding resistance to risk across the lifespan andhow health and well-being can be maintained in the face of challenges. The potentialimportance of resilience is considerable. However in order to inform future researchmore clarity is required. Investigation is needed to understand how resilience can bepromoted. Recognising this need, the MRC recently funded a network to take forwardthese questions.The Resilience Network (ResNet) will unite and build upon previous research and workundertaken on resilience, and strengthen this with new perspectives and collaborations,thereby enhancing research capacity and development. The disciplines andorganisations represented within the network represent a unique, biopsychosocialpartnership of academics and stakeholders with an interest in exploring resilience in
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