Resilience in later life: ELSA study finds older adults often maintain good mental health after major life events

New research using data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) reveals that older adults in England exhibit resilience in the face

of significant life changes, such as bereavement, retirement, and hospital stays, with many demonstrating signs

of emotional stability or recovery over time.

The study, published in The British Journal of Psychiatry, looked at how symptoms of depression change before and after important events later in life. It followed almost 7,000 people aged 50 to 69 from 2002 to 2019, examining what happened to their mental health around events such as retirement, the death of a partner, becoming a caregiver, developing a long-term illness, and being admitted to hospital.

Depression was measured regularly over the 17-year period, and researchers used statistical models to see how it changed before and after each event.

Overall, the study found that people’s mental health did not worsen after any of the events. In fact, depression improved after some of them. The odds of depression fell by nearly half after the death of a spouse or partner, by 15% after retirement, and by 4% after being admitted to hospital for non-fall causes.

One explanation for the study’s findings is “resilience”, meaning the ability to cope or recover to usual levels of emotional well-being after difficult or disruptive experiences. While people often experienced increasing odds of depression just before these events, many appeared to recover or remain stable in the years afterwards.

Lead author Dr Brian Beach, from UCL’s Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, said:

“Our results show that, on average, older adults manage to adapt emotionally after major life events, reflecting a degree of resilience. This resilience does not however remove the need for support during these important life changes. It’s vital that mental health services continue to identify and assist those who are most at risk, especially since these events may have an acute, short-term impact on mental health.”

The study found no clear changes in depression after developing a long-term illness, becoming an unpaid caregiver, a partner’s retirement, or a hospital stay after a fall. Men tended to show greater improvement in symptoms after retirement and hospital admissions for non-fall causes, and people who retired later generally had lower odds of depression.

The authors suggest that many older adults are able to adapt to stressful life changes, but that does not mean everyone copes equally well. For some, depression remains a serious concern, particularly around the time a major event occurs. Early help and good social support can make a significant difference.

By tracking people for nearly two decades, the study provides a detailed picture of how emotional health changes through later life. It shows that many older adults in England demonstrate resilience, but that continued attention to mental health and targeted support remains essential.

Beach, B., Shim, E-J., Iob, E., & Zaninotto, P. (2025). Trajectories of depression across key events in later life: findings from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. The British Journal of Psychiatry. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.2025.10426 

Image courtesy of the Centre for Ageing Better