Most folks have heard the old bromide, “Aging is not for sissies.” This is another way of saying, “The longer you live, the more losses you experience.” As we age, we may lose our friends and family members to illnesses and death. We may lose our jobs, our spouses, our financial security or our health…and perhaps all of them in a short span.
Resilience has been defined in the professional senior care journals as “a dynamic process of maintaining positive adaptation and effective coping strategies in the face of adversity.”
Some people tend to cope more effectively than others with the various losses encountered as we age. While there may be certain personality types or even genetic advantages that allow for greater emotional resilience, the positive qualities of emotional resilience can be cultivated. Personal growth is not only for the young, and continues into your oldest years if you are willing not to simply settle into a set way of thinking and coping, but instead, face and grieve your losses directly.
Whatever your loss, it is most important to not isolate yourself.
We all need our quiet times of contemplation and solitude, but as humans, our nature requires support and contact with others. If your friends and family members are not able to give us the support you need, you will always be able to find some form of community support to help you through the tough times. We have local groups for Alzheimer’s, Arthritis, Bereavement and Grief, Cancers of all types, Depression, Diabetes, Divorce, Family Caregivers, Heart Wellness, Liver disease, Lyme Disease, Men’s and Women’s Groups, MS, Parkinson’s, Substance Abuse, Widows and Widowers, …in other words, we have support groups for virtually anything you can think of.
There is something special about being able to share your story, and listen to the parallel stories of others, that promotes healing and leaves you with less emotional scar tissue. Pain can become personal growth, leading you into your succeeding years in a healthier fashion. By embracing openness instead of shutting down, you become more resilient by developing “positive adaptation and coping strategies in the face of adversity.”
If you are a senior looking for a local support group of any type, feel free to call Central Coast Senior Services, Inc. at 831-649-3363.
