Older Veterans: Lifetime Consequences of Military Service

Given the paucity of research on aging veterans, this chapter examines research and data from the United States, where more than 8.5 million veterans are age sixty-five or older. The authors highlight several important considerations-including military duties and service life, and post-service experiences-important when considering the well-being of veterans across their lifespan. During military service, individuals are exposed to an array of physical, cognitive, emotional, social, and/or spiritual stressors. Over time, stress is cumulative and may have both immediate and long-term implications for both physical and mental health and overall well-being. It is important to note that, even when not present earlier, trauma-related stressors may emerge and present themselves in the lives of older veterans. Finally, the authors discuss additional implications for practice, policy, and research. Within each section of the chapter, a case vignette is provided to support the discussion.