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Continuing and ceasing leisure activities in later life: a longitudinal study.
Laurel A Strain1, Carmen C Grabusic, Mark S Searle
1Centre on Aging and Department of Sociology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada. laurel_strain@umanitoba.ca
The Gerontologist
|March 27, 2002
Summary
Older adults are more likely to continue watching television and reading over an 8-year period. Leisure education may help older adults engage in desired activities.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Sociology of Leisure
- Public Health
Background:
- Understanding changes in leisure activities is crucial for promoting well-being in older adults.
- Longitudinal data provides valuable insights into activity patterns over time.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine changes in leisure activities among older adults over an 8-year period.
- To identify sociodemographic and health characteristics associated with these changes.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study design using in-person interviews.
- Data collected from 380 respondents in 1985 and 1993 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
- Analysis of changes in ten specific leisure activities and overall activity engagement.
Main Results:
- Watching television and reading were the most sustained activities.
- Theater/movies/spectator sports and travel were least likely to be continued.
- Age, gender, education, self-rated health, marital status, and functional ability were associated with activity changes, but no consistent pattern emerged.
Conclusions:
- Leisure activities among older adults show varied patterns of continuation over time.
- Sociodemographic and health factors influence changes in leisure participation.
- Leisure education is proposed as a strategy to enhance engagement in desired activities for older adults.