Over the last two decades, the concept of resilience has become the focus of a growing body of gerontological research. However, there is a dearth of qualitative research that explores how socio-economic and socio-cultural factors shape older people's resilience. This study addresses this gap and explores the concept of resilience through the lens of 25 Australians from a variety of backgrounds, investigating the resilience strategies they employed in the face of different challenging life events. A qualitative narrative methodology involving one focus group and semi-structured interviews was employed. A stratified convenience sample of 34 people aged 60 and over participated in semi-structured interviews between 2009 and 2011. The study describes the meaning participants assigned to the term resilience, and focuses on the range of resilience responses and strategies they employed, bringing to light some key commonalities and differences. The study's findings suggest that access to economic and cultural resources and the nature of the adversity older people face can shape and limit their resilience strategies. The article outlines how the concept of resilience could be incorporated into aged care practice and argues that resilience-focused interventions that potentially broaden the resilience repertoire of older people should be explored within an aged care context.

Background: Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) have been associated with increased carer burden and early institutionalization. BPSD are more responsive to treatment than are cognitive and functional decline. Little is known about how family carers understand and try to reduce these symptoms. This study aimed to explore the strategies used by carers looking after someone with high levels of BPSD.

Methods: Twenty-five carers were interviewed using a semi-structured interview with the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI). They were all caring for someone eligible for an Extended Aged Care at Home Dementia Package, which targets people with BPSD.

Results: Participants reported high levels of BPSD with a mean score of 8.2 for symptoms (range 2–12, SD = 2.38) and a mean NPI score of 51.4 (range 14–111, SD = 28.74). Distress scores were also high with a mean of 18.5 (range 2–42, SD = 11.33). Carers described on average, fewer than four strategies for managing BPSD. Encouraging activity, utilizing psychotropic medications, identifying triggers, restraining or treating in a paternalistic manner, and meeting physiological needs were the most commonly used strategies.

Conclusion: While family carers are often at the forefront of identifying triggers and addressing unmet needs, findings from this study suggest that some carers have a limited repertoire of strategies despite experiencing a large number of symptoms. There is a clear need for ensuring evidence-based programs to educate and support carers in identifying triggers, understanding symptoms and learning to cope with these symptoms.