Final answer:
True, the resilient aging framework focuses on functioning and adapting to challenges rather than disability. This approach is supported by theories like continuity theory and selective optimization with compensation theory, which emphasize adaptation and personal growth throughout later life.
Step-by-step explanation:
True. The optimal or resilient aging framework emphasizes functioning in the face of life's challenges rather than focusing on disability. This perspective aligns with theories that highlight the importance of adaptation, selection, optimization, and compensation throughout life's later years. In this light, it's acknowledged that individuals might experience diminishing abilities but can continue to find meaningful ways to engage and adapt to ensure a sense of well-being and continuity in their lives.
For instance, continuity theory asserts that elderly individuals strategically make choices to preserve consistency in their personal and social lives. Likewise, selective optimization with compensation theory suggests that successful aging involves balancing age-related losses with corresponding gains, personalized to the individual's situation and goals. These conceptual frameworks in the field of gerontology support the idea that a person's resilience, as well as their belief in their own capacity to deal with adversities, plays a crucial role in their success and quality of life during their elder years. This lens on aging is indicative of a broader understanding that one's approach to change and challenge is paramount. Rather than a decline towards inactivity and immobility, aging within this framework is seen as an active process, one where personal development and adaptation strategies are key components for successful aging.