How to Improve Your Resilience as You Age

Good health is about more than physical fitness and avoiding disease and injury. A growing body of research also shows that resilience in older adults is a significant factor in achieving high quality of life. Resilient aging can influence physical and mental health as well—the more resilient you are in the face of challenges, the better your overall outcomes will likely be.

So what is resilient aging, and how can you become more resilient? Here’s what you need to know.

Resilient Aging Defined

Psychiatrists and psychologists broadly define resilience as the ability to adapt successfully to adverse physical, psychological, or social situations. Physical resilience refers to the body’s ability to heal and recover after an illness or injury, such as a broken bone. Psychological resilience is the mind’s ability to bounce back from a difficult situation rather than falling into a depression or using maladaptive responses like anger or despair. 

Your overall resilience is your ability to cope with stressful changes, and it encompasses several factors, including the following:

• Physical health
• Cognitive capacity
• Personality traits
• Social status
• Financial stability

 The good news is that your capacity for resilience isn’t set in stone. Resilient behaviors can be learned and applied at any stage of life.

The Importance of Behavioral Health for Successful Aging

Behavioral health and mental health are often used interchangeably, but there are essential differences between them. Mental health deals with psychological disorders that influence thoughts and feelings, including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and OCD. 

Behavioral health, on the other hand, addresses maladaptive behaviors or actions. Common behavioral disorders include addictions, self-harm, and eating disorders. Behavioral disorders often arise as a response to a mental disorder, but a lengthy injury, illness, or major life change, such as the death of a loved one, can also trigger them. In general, behavioral disorders may be an attempt to cope with adversity.

Good behavioral health is about putting healthy behaviors in place to prepare for change and support you through difficult times. These positive behaviors build your resilience and help you prepare to face life’s challenges with a positive attitude and the confidence you need to know you’ll make it through.

How to Build Resilient Behaviors

According to the University of Arizona Center on Aging, certain behaviors connect directly with better resilience in older adults. If you want to build greater resilience in yourself, here are a few behavioral “muscles” you can start exercising:

• Tend to assume the worst about the future? Try reframing your expectations in an optimistic way.
• When bad things happen, deliberately focus on the “silver linings.”
• Maintain strong personal connections with friends, family, and the community where you live, work, or volunteer.
• Find a purpose: something you love to do that gives your life meaning. 
• Develop strong self-esteem by caring for yourself and making your own choices.
• Eat healthy foods regularly.
• Remain active with regular exercise and fitness activities.

How Fellowship Connected Living Can Help

Fellowship Connected Living powered by Livindi is dedicated to helping you build resilience as you age. This smart home technology helps you live confidently and independently in your own home. The system also makes it easy to stay connected to friends and family at the touch of a button on a tablet.

Contact us today to learn more about how Fellowship Connected Living can help you age with resilience and grace!