Resiliency is important to healthy aging, and older adults with higher resiliency have an improved quality of life and better mental health despite the adversities they face. In this episode, author and educator Ted Bowman, who specializes in grief, loss, and “honest hope,” talks to host Lisa Wells of the Aging and Disability Resource Center of Eau Claire County about fostering resiliency.

Resiliency, Bowman says, is not only about rebounding from setbacks, but about springing forward and adapting to changed circumstances. He encourages older people to examine their experiences to find examples of how they overcame setbacks earlier in life, and tap into some of the same skills. Bowman also discusses the dual process of grief and joy, the importance of building a team when faced with setbacks, and how to build a shelf full of resiliency tools.