The Paradox of Leisure in Later Life.

TitleThe Paradox of Leisure in Later Life.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2016
AuthorsNimrod, G, Shrira, A
JournalJ Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci
Volume71
Issue1
Pagination106-11
Date Published2016 Jan
ISSN Number1758-5368
KeywordsAdaptation, Psychological, Aged, Aging, Cognition, Europe, Female, Health Status Disparities, Humans, Leisure activities, Male, Middle Aged, Quality of Life, Resilience, Psychological, Retirement, Socioeconomic factors, Surveys and Questionnaires
Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Numerous studies have shown that involvement in leisure activity has a significant impact on older adults' physical, psychological, social, and spiritual well-being. This study explores whether the association between leisure involvement and well-being in later life changes over time.

METHOD: Data were drawn from the first 4 waves of the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Growth curve models were applied to examine whether leisure moderated change in quality of life (QoL) over time among 7,875 retirees aged 60 and older.

RESULTS: Findings indicated that the association between leisure and QoL increased with time, as nonactive respondents displayed a decline in QoL over time, whereas those with high levels of leisure involvement showed an increase. Findings remained significant after controlling for sociodemographics, health, and cognitive functioning.

DISCUSSION: Results indicated that the significance of leisure to well-being increases throughout the later life course, and that leisure may act as a resource for resilience in old age. They also pointed out a paradoxical situation in which the older seniors, who may benefit from leisure involvement more than their younger peers, are precisely the ones who face the greater number of constraints to beneficial use of leisure.

URLhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25315158
DOI10.1093/geronb/gbu143
User Guide Notes

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25315158?dopt=Abstract

Endnote Keywords

Adaptation, Psychological
Aged
Aging/physiology/psychology
*Cognition
Europe
Female
*Health Status Disparities
Humans
Leisure Activities/
psychology
Male
Middle Aged
Quality of Life/psychology
*Resilience, Psychological
Retirement/
psychology
Socioeconomic Factors
Surveys and Questionnaires

Alternate JournalJ Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci
Citation Key8476
PubMed ID25315158
PubMed Central IDPMC4861252
Grant ListP01 AG08291 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
Y1-AG-4553-01 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
P01 AG005842 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
P30 AG12815 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
U01 AG09740-13S2 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
R21 AG025169 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States