There is increasing debate on the role of leisure and recreational activities for adults in nursing residences. Perhaps one of the biggest reasons for the increase of the debate on the role of leisure for adults is the increasing population of older adults in the society. According to a recent survey, the percentage of the older-adult population is increasing. Older adults who are over 65 were 12.4 percent of the whole population in 2000 and it was projected to increase to about 20 percent by the year 2030. The number of older adults joining the nursing home is also increasing. According to the center for disease control and prevention report of the year 2004, there are about 16,100 nursing homes in the United States with approximately 1.7 million beds. The occupancy was 86 percent that translated to about 1.5 million residents. The Question on how to provide reliable recreational activities for this adult segment of the population is of primary concern.
For the purposes of this paper, leisure and recreational activities refer to the unobligated time where life sustaining functions are not performed. Recreation refers to the activities performed for the sole purpose of enjoyment. Studies conducted overtime demonstrated that leisure activities play an important role in the level of happiness for older-citizens. Hawkins, Foose and Binkley demonstrated that leisure is important to the overall satisfaction of life in both the United States and Australia. Their study concluded that the satisfaction with leisure is of most significance that the actual participation levels. This means that their research observed that of most significance was quality instead of quantity. Some scholars discovered that there is a positive relationship that develops overtime between the participation of an activity and the psychological well-being and contentment. The study also found that participation in leisure activities led to less hostilities, and depression. Spectator sports, going out of town, being visited as well as vacationing were found to yield higher levels of satisfaction among elders ( Lawton, 1994).
However, the provision of leisure activities must be tailored towards the desires of the senior citizen. While the effects of leisure activities are generally enriching to the psychological wellbeing of the residents, it is important to take into account the tastes and preferences of the residents. For this reason, it is important for the nurses to ask them what they like to do for fun and how they like them instead of clumping them up together. Having the individual chose their own leisure activity uplifts their morale as well as makes them feel loved and honored.
American psychological Association reported that elders are true nonconformists of contemporary times. The existence of elders in modern society offers proof that adulthood does not last forever. There is always life after adulthood, although exceptionally few people live to see this other side of life. Elders prove that there is life beyond retirement and the regular hustles of life. In a way, elders also remind that happiness in life is not limited to activities such as careers, sports, and intense activity. Elders are reminders of the existence of solitude in lives, and the happiness that can be derived from that solitude. Regardless of the beauty of the elderly in the society, many elders are away from the society and are denied adequate care and love.
Work Cited
Lawton, M. P. (1994). Personality and affective correlates of leisure activity participation by older people. Journal of Leisure Research, 26(2), 138-157.
Hawkins, B., Foose, A. K., & Binkley, A. L. (2004). Contribution of Leisure to the Life Satisfaction of Older Adults in Australia and the United States. World Leisure Journal, 46(2): 4-12
