Positive epidemiology – pre and peri-pandemic psychological resilience in older Veterans in the CLSA

Project Summary

How and why do some older adults adapt and thrive better than others in the face of challenges? Do prior life experiences, such as military service, play a role in developing resiliency at older ages? Several U.S. studies have highlighted the resilience of Veterans, but we have found no Canadian studies addressing this issue. U.S. studies suggest that prior military experience may have a positive effect on one’s ability to adapt and cope in the face of late-life challenges. We will examine how older CLSA Veterans coped with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the CLSA, more than 4,000 participants self-identified as Veterans. Using the CLSA data from three waves of data collection and the COVID-19 Questionnaire Study, we will examine pre-pandemic psychological resilience in older Veterans, how resilience manifests over time, and how it relates to pandemic experiences and health states.