Grant: Travel Awards - Institute Community Support

The world is experiencing an unprecedented demographic shift, with more people entering old age than ever before. The ageing process is often accompanied with decreases in functional capabilities, e.g. physical strength, and the onset of age-related disorders, e.g. arthritis. When presented with these challenges some older adults adapt more positively than others, maintaining high levels of wellbeing and quality of life. Using data from the oldest British birth cohort study, which has followed 5362 individuals from birth in 1946, I am able to examine how social factors experienced throughout the life course influence resilience up to age 70. This study examines the influence of socioeconomic position on resilience, and whether or not this relationship is affected by physical and social activity. This work will identify ways in which individuals can maintain a high level of wellbeing and quality of life despite experiencing impairments in physical functioning, providing novel insights and robust evidence on resilience in older adults.