Abstract
Older adults are at the risk of loneliness, depression, and isolation when they move to the residential care centres due to their cognitive and physical disabilities; however, little has been done to explore their leisure activities. Quantitative studies have established a correlation between leisure activities and well-being, but they cannot establish causality or provide insights into the perceptions of residents themselves.
The main aim of this research is to explore the meaning, perception and experiences of leisure and the perceived relationship between leisure activities and well-being through a qualitative approach.
Triangulation was used in data collection, which involved three components: participant observation, key informant interviews with professionals, and in-depth interviews with residents. Semi–structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of Twenty-Four residents chosen on the basis of their abilities, including cognitive impairment. The second set of interviews were conducted with six key informants. Finally, one-day observations were made in each of the six residential care sampled.
The results provide insights into the best practices for engaging people with various abilities in activities and emphasize the importance of leisure activities, particularly those that involve families, social ties, and companionship. They also highlight the problems of non-participation by physically and cognitively impaired residents.
This session will provide guidance to policymakers, as well as the staff and managers of residential care facilities on developing new strategies, plans, and programs to increase the active participation of older adults in a variety of activities.