An Investigation into the Leisure Occupations of Older Adults

Abstract

Participating in leisure is known to enhance physical wellbeing, mental health and social functioning. There is, however, little knowledge of the current level of engagement in leisure occupations by older adults in the United Kingdom. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the current leisure occupations of adults over 60 years who considered themselves to be healthy and to identify the motivations that underpinned participation in those occupations.Structured interviews were conducted with 70 adults with a mean age of 72 years. The majority of the participants (51, 73%) reported engaging in leisure occupations. The range of leisure occupations was wide and included walking, sailing, listening to music, emailing and volunteering. Of these, 23% were active leisure, 18% passive leisure, 24% social leisure, 20% hobbies and 15% other leisure occupations. Content analysis was adopted to explain the motivators for taking part in these leisure occupations. It was found that enjoyment, pleasure and relaxation were the key motivators.This study shows that the majority of well older people are participating in leisure occupations and feeling positive about doing so. Further research is required to establish the role that occupational therapists can have in encouraging older adults to continue with or develop new leisure occupations to enhance health and quality of life.

The Benefits of Knitting for Personal and Social Wellbeing in Adulthood: Findings from an International Survey

“…In this study, respondents attributed a number of psychological benefits to the knitting process, coming from its rhythmic and repetitive nature, which induced feelings of calm and relaxation. This echoes the findings from other studies, especially those related to leisure or arts and crafts (Ball et at 2007, Riley 2008. For the majority of respondents in this study, knitting was perceived as a means of unwinding from the stresses of everyday life or as a coping strategy for those with anxiety problems, pain or depression.…”

Walking as a Meaningful Leisure Occupation: The Implications for Occupational Therapy

“…Although social interaction may be synonymous with positive benefits (Taylor 2003, Ball et al 2007, this research found that aiming beyond the participant's physical capabilities had a negative impact on his or her self-esteem and confidence. If the physical demands are more than the capabilities of the person, the occupation may be stopped.…”

Predictors of Computer Use in Community-Dwelling, Ethnically Diverse Older Adults

“…This leads us to conjecture that careful consideration of individual differences and design of customized instructional and support programs are more likely to positively impact the well-being of older adults, perhaps through the use of computerized educational modules and applications that promote healthy daily activity involvement. For example, toward this end the Internet could be used by older adults to obtain self-care oriented health information (El-Attar, Gray, Nair, Ownby, & Czaja, 2005), access information pertaining to local public transportation or leisure activities (Morell, Mayhorn, & Bennett, 2000), maintain health-promoting relationships with friend or family through email communications, or stay mentally active (Ball, Corr, Knight, & Lowis, 2007). …”