Meaningful Occupation and Resilience among Older U.S. Veterans: A Mixed Methods Study

Background: Research on the factors that promote the health of older veterans is limited. Purpose: To explore the relationships between military service, occupational participation, resilience and successful aging for older U.S. military veterans. Method: A sequential explanatory mixed methods design was used, a survey (n = 41) and follow-up interviews (n = 9). Findings: Occupational participation was associated with resilience (r = 0.60, p <.01). Three integrated themes emerged: (1) staying engaged & connected, (2) relationship between occupation and resilience, and (3) positive impact of military service. Conclusion: Findings help fill the gap in research identifying intervention targets for older veterans.KEY MESSAGES The meaningful occupational participation of older veterans has received little attention in previous literature and is an important area of focus with strong relevance for occupational therapy Occupational therapy practitioners can play an important role in promoting the healthy aging and resilience of this population through occupation-based interventions.