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Physical Resilience and Aging

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Resilience and Aging

Part of the book series: Risk, Systems and Decisions ((RSD))

Abstract

Physical resilience is defined as the ability to optimize/recover function in response to the stressors (adversities) of disease, injury, or age-related physical decline, and is multifaceted with areas of overlap between biological, sociological, and psychological factors. This chapter focuses on physical resilience as it relates to rehabilitation of older adults with pathologies that limit motor function. After defining physical resilience, rehabilitation, and recovery, physical resilience research is summarized as it relates to the biology, psychology, and sociology of motor function and aging. The last section deals with research that more explicitly examines the interactions or areas of overlap, and can be considered an examination of the biopsychosocial aspects of physical resilience research as it relates to motor function and aging. Finally, physical activity is discussed as a potential way to assess and improve physical resilience. Future directions are discussed among which are suggestions as to how physical resilience research may be incorporated into clinical practice.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Rehabilitation Research Program, GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Sue Peters

  2. Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Sue Peters

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  1. Sue Peters
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Correspondence to Sue Peters .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Simon Fraser University, Gerontology Research Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Andrew V. Wister

  2. Simon Fraser University, Gerontology Research Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Theodore D. Cosco

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Peters, S. (2020). Physical Resilience and Aging. In: Wister, A.V., Cosco, T.D. (eds) Resilience and Aging. Risk, Systems and Decisions. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-57089-7_9

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