Older Persons' Participation in Life-Enhancement Activities in a Long-Term Care Facility: A Mixed-Methods...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology and Long-Term Care Research
• Activity-Based Interventions for Seniors
• Psychosocial Well-being in Aging

Background:

• Older persons in long-term care facilities often experience reduced engagement in meaningful activities.
• Life-enhancement activities aim to improve quality of life and social connection for residents.
• Understanding participation factors is crucial for optimizing care in geriatric settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the experiences and participation levels of older adults in life-enhancement activities within a long-term care setting.
• To identify key factors influencing engagement in these activities.
• To inform strategies for enhancing resident well-being through activity programming.

Main Methods:

• A convergent mixed-methods design was employed, combining quantitative and qualitative data.
• Naturalistic observations of 20 activity sessions involving 111 older persons were conducted.
• Quantitative data were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests, while qualitative data from fieldnotes underwent reflexive thematic analysis.

Main Results:

• Significant differences in engagement levels were observed across 16 different life-enhancement activities.
• Social interaction frequency varied based on residents' mobility status (wheelchair, walker, independent).
• Four key themes emerged: participation barriers, activity context, facilitator support, and social/emotional well-being.

Conclusions:

• Structural (room design, activity complexity, music), relational (facilitator support, conflict resolution), and individual (mobility) factors significantly influence participation.
• Life-enhancement activities are most beneficial when residents have choices and access to adaptive equipment.
• Findings support creating distraction-free spaces, incorporating personalized music and adapted exercises, and training facilitators in adaptive coaching and support.