Individual and social resources predicting well-being and functioning in the later years: Conceptual models, research and practice

Abstract

With increasing age, older adults need to draw on their individual and socioeconomic resources to adapt to challenges in daily life. A resource model of developmental adaptation is proposed as a conceptual guide for studies emphasizing the importance of psychosocial resources as mediators and moderators of adjustment. Empirical evidence supporting the resource model of developmental adaptation based on findings from the Georgia Centenarian Study suggests that cumulative adverse events drain socioeconomic resources and increase levels of anxiety. Socioeconomic resources exert a stronger effect on mental and functional health than individual resources. Finally, cumulative events predict functional health only for anxious individuals and those with extreme levels of support. Practical implications of this work suggest that those working with older adults need to consider the entire biography of older adults to understand adaptation in later life. Furthermore, service providers and policy makers are challenged to help increase or maintain the level of socioeconomic resources, particularly in the oldest-old population.