Predicting the frequency of senior center attendance

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Sociology
• Public Health

Background:

• Previous research on senior center attendance primarily focused on whether individuals attend at all.
• A nuanced understanding of attendance frequency is crucial for effective program planning and resource allocation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To estimate a multinomial logistic regression model to differentiate between individuals who rarely, sometimes, and frequently attend senior centers.
• To identify demographic, socioeconomic, and social factors associated with varying levels of senior center engagement.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the 1984 Supplement on Aging of the National Health Interview Survey.
• Employed multinomial logistic regression to analyze attendance frequency (rarely, sometimes, frequently).

Main Results:

• Higher attendance frequency is associated with older age, potentially indicating challenges in recruiting new active members.
• Increased frequency of senior center use correlates with lower income and lower educational attainment.
• Social involvement is a significant predictor of frequent senior center attendance.
• Individuals residing in rural areas are more likely to be occasional users, suggesting potential accessibility or program availability limitations.

Conclusions:

• Senior center engagement patterns vary significantly based on age, socioeconomic status, and social integration.
• Findings suggest a need to address barriers to access and program availability, particularly for rural populations.
• The characteristics of frequent users highlight the importance of social connection in driving senior center participation.