Are Older Adults’ Leisure Patterns Consistent with the Active Ageing Model? The Influence of the Ageist Stereotypes

Abstract

More and more studies indicate that leisure plays a fundamental role in active ageing. Our study describes the current leisure patterns of older adults, comparing them with other age groups. Consequently, 445 adults, stratified by age (young, middle-aged and older adults), were selected and subsequently administered a set of tests. The results indicate that older people claim having more time for their leisure activities; however, the diversity of activities performed is lower, showing a negative gradient based on age. The leisure patterns of older people reflect a predominance of passive leisure, little cultural leisure time and moderate levels of social and physical leisure activities. Older people’s leisure seems to be influenced by ageist stereotypes and attribution biases. Our findings imply that these results could be used to design and implement programs aimed at promoting leisure styles that contribute to increase active ageing.

How Active Are European Seniors—Their Personal Ways to Active Ageing? Is Seniors’ Activity in Line with the Expectations of the Active Ageing Strategy?

“…When the ratings in physical safety decreased, the ratings of mental well-being were also lower (RQ4). It is consistent with the results of other studies [17,34].…”

“…The most commonly observed stereotypes of seniors' perceptions mentioned in the literature concern aimlessness and dependence, lack of social roles, illness (ailments), withdrawal, mental and psychical inactivity [16,19,33]. There are even stereotypes indicating how older people should behave [34]. Today's seniors can no longer be classified as people in decline and excluded from society [35].…”

“…Much depends on governments and local authorities in the effectiveness of AA activities [16,36]. Also, seniors should strive to overthrow stereotypes [34] and not accept them as exponents of appropriate behaviour.…”

“…Psychosocial well-being and quality of life depend on biological processes of ageing [26]. Thus, seniors' social activity can lead to a higher emotional quality of life, life satisfaction, and mental and physical health [17,34,55], while exclusion and social withdrawal limit access to social, cultural, economic, political and environmental resources negatively affecting the wellbeing [17]. Focusing interventions on personal health, well-being and social networks to further enhance social participation can positively affect ability, confidence, and opportunities and again affects individual QoL.…”

“…Heinonen et al [57] reviewed the research, pointing out how extensive AA is and how diverse the research directions are. AA is associated with the quality of life or mental health [17,34]. However, the most common factor giving rise to active ageing is physical health and activity dependent on subjective well-being, because physical activity delays the effects of ageing [5,6,38,51,58,59].…”