Document Type

Article

Department

Brain and Mind Institute

Abstract

Background: The global elderly population is increasing and expected to double in thenext decade. Aging increases the likelihood of adversities, with resilience becomingan important aspect of healthy aging. Understanding how individuals conceptualizeresilience offers an opportunity to create contextually relevant interventions forpromoting healthy aging. This study aimed to explore adults’ perspectives on factorsinfluencing resilience in Kenya.

Method: Using qualitative methods, 36 adults aged 35 years and above werepurposively recruited from various communities in Nairobi County to participate ininterviews. We asked questions about their understanding of aging, adversity andresiliency. We also provided them with case scenarios of two individuals respondingdifferently to the same adversity and asked them to discuss what influenced oneto respond better when compared to the other. Interviews were audio-recorded,transcribed verbatim and thematically analyzed.

Result: Participants understood resilience as the ability to bounce back after adversity.They highlighted that adversities could accelerate physical and cognitive aging,manifesting as signs of faster aging, increased risk of illnesses, cognitive decline, andother comorbidities of unhealthy aging. Reflecting on the cases, they narrated thatresilience was promoted by internal factors (inner strength, mindset, routine practices,and attitude) and external factors such as social support from family and friends;psychological support including professional interventions and positive reinforcementfrom loved ones and medical interventions. Physical well-being was also linked tohealth awareness and proactive activities. Internal factors were seen as adaptable andshaped by the individual’s environment and experiences.

Conclusion: We argue that resilience, key to healthy aging, is shaped by both internalfactors and external factors. These factors should be considered when designinginterventions aimed to promote healthy aging in resource constrained settings

AKU Student

no

Publication (Name of Journal)

Alzheimer's & Dementia

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1002/alz70860_101864

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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