Subjective leisure experiences of older Australians

Abstract

Background: Previous studies into leisure have employed methodologies that may understate the significance of experiential components. This exploratory study investigated the leisure experiences of retired Australians over 65 years of age. Methods: Five semistructured interviews were used to explore the leisure experience of older people from metropolitan Adelaide. Data were coded and analysed thematically. Results: Relaxation and engrossment emerged as commonly expressed experiences, yet were found to emerge as a result of engagement in occupations predefined as leisure. Experiences of freedom from both necessary duties and a sense of obligation were discussed as potential determinants of leisure consciousness. Practice implications: This study highlights a need for therapists to actively access clients' subjective leisure experiences to enable engagement in personally meaningful leisure occupations.

An exploration of participation in leisure activities post‐stroke

“…It is well documented globally that participation in leisure occupations in old age, including active, passive and social activities, enhances good health and wellbeing. Thus, in an effort to optimise active participation in leisure activities, health‐care professionals need a greater understanding of the benefit, value and individual subjective experience and meaning of participating in leisure occupations (Ball, Corr, Knight & Lowis, 2007; Sellar & Boshoff, 2006). The Practice Framework of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA, 2008) classifies leisure as a non‐obligatory activity that a person is engaged in during discretionary time when one is not working, engaged in self‐care or sleeping and it is also described as intrinsically motivating.…”

The meaning of leisure for well‐elderly Italians in an Australian community: Implications for occupational therapy

“…In addition, the participants in this study were well-elderly Italians and the results highlighted that a culturally relevant leisure activity for these participants was bocce. This study has answered the call for research into the 'subjective experiences' of leisure of ageing ethnic community members in occupational therapy (Sellar & Boshoff, 2006;Suto, 1998). This study has provided an introduction to the meanings behind leisure engagement for ageing Italian community members who live in the City of Greater Geelong Victoria, and how those meanings impacted on their sense of health and the ageing process.…”

Retirement: What will you do? A narrative inquiry of occupation‐based planning for retirement: Implications for practice

“…Previous research (e.g. Family and Community Development Committee, 1997; Siegel & Rees, 1992) highlights the importance of financial planning, and more recently, leisure, physical and psychological planning for retirement (Family and Community Development Committee; Sellar & Boshoff, 2006; Pereira & Stagnitti, 2008). However, these plannings are primarily supported through attendance at formal pre‐retirement planning programmes as opposed to the active, individualised, community‐based retirement planning process identified in this study.…”

“…The inclusion of information on personal finances, leisure interests, developing educational goals, developing physical and emotional resilience and health has been proposed (Anderson & Weber, 1993; Family and Community Development Committee, 1997). The exploration of meaningful leisure occupations for older age is supported in two Australian studies (Pereira & Stagnitti, 2008; Sellar & Boshoff, 2006). These studies found that participation in meaningful leisure occupations positively influenced the health and wellbeing of older Australians.…”