Generating meaningfulness through lifelong and life-wide leisure engagement with music

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roger Mantie ◽  
Francis Dubé ◽  
Audrey-Kristel Barbeau
Keyword(s):  
Leisure Activity ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Work And Family ◽  
Social Connections ◽  
Music Learning ◽  
Family Identity ◽  
School Music ◽  
Leisure Engagement ◽  
Formal School

The authors in this article each bring a particular insight to the overarching question of how pedagogical and facilitation approaches can deepen and strengthen a lifelong value attached to music learning and engagement in leisure music activities. It is argued that when learner voice is privileged and social connections are embedded in pedagogical approaches early on, for example in formal school music or extracurricular youth learning contexts, this will likely underpin lifelong habits of engagement in valued, meaningful leisure activity. A lifelong learning mindset, oriented around serious leisure, can in turn promote the quality of later life, when a potential sense of loss related to personal work and family identity can be profound.

Life transitions and leisure activity engagement among older Americans: findings from a national longitudinal study

2018 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 537-564
Author(s):  
Yura Lee ◽  
Iris Chi ◽  
Jennifer A. Ailshire
Keyword(s):  
Mail Survey ◽  
Leisure Activity ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Life Transitions ◽  
Time Varying ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Activity Engagement ◽  
Household Activities ◽  
Leisure Engagement ◽  
The Impact

AbstractOne of the major aspects of successful ageing is active engagement in later life. Retirement and widowhood are two significant life transitions that may largely influence leisure engagement patterns among older adults. Limited findings exist regarding the impact of life transitions on leisure activity engagement due to the scarcity of longitudinal data with repeated measurement of older individuals’ leisure engagement. This study longitudinally examined changes in leisure activity engagement as influenced by retirement and widowhood using five waves of national panel data from the Health and Retirement Study and its supplementary Consumption and Activities Mail Survey. Multi-level modelling was conducted with retirement and widowhood status as time-varying variables. Socio-economic status, depressive symptoms, cognitive function, self-rated health and functional limitations were also included as time-varying and time-invariant covariates. Findings show that engagement in mental, physical, social and household activities significantly decreased during an eight-year period. Moreover, transition from working to retired status was associated with increased engagement in mental, social and household activities but decreased engagement in physical activities among men only. Transition from married to widowhood status was associated with decreased engagement in household activities among women only. Encouraging active leisure engagement among individuals who experience either or both life transitions may help maintain their health after transition.

scholarly journals The Role and Impact of Radio Listening Practices in Older Adults’ Everyday Lives

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda E. Krause
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Leisure Activity ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Daily Lives ◽  
Space Model ◽  
Qualitative Thematic Analysis

Previous research has indicated older adults value listening to music as a leisure activity. Yet, recent research into listening practices broadly has often focused on younger adults and the use of newer, digital listening technologies. Nonetheless, the radio, which is familiar to older people who grew up with it at the forefront of family life, is important to consider with regard to listening practices and the potential associated well-being benefits. This research investigated older adults’ everyday radio listening practices, in order to begin to understand how the radio fits into their daily lives and how it might influence their sense of well-being. Twenty-five Australian residents (aged 66–87; 56% female, 44% male) participated in semi-structured, one-to-one interviews. The results of a qualitative thematic analysis revealed themes concerning listening preferences, listening routines, access, and motivations/outcomes. While personal preferences (concerning content, stations, and presenters) were diverse, individuals clearly communicated these as well as their established listening routines and habits. Listener motivations varied: some people focused on the enjoyment that listening to the radio creates while some noted benefits to their well-being, such as relaxation, modifying their mood, and feelings of comfort and community. Radio listening practices can be defined in terms of differing engagement styles, as characterized using continua ranging from passive to active, or focused, listening as well as generalized or specific listening. Based on participants’ experiences, a proposed engagement space model links how people engage with the radio to the possible outcomes mentioned. Importantly, benefits to well-being can result from varied engagement styles. The findings presented provide an in-depth understanding of how the radio fits into older adults’ everyday life, with implications for considering how the radio might be used as a widely accessed, low-cost tool for maintaining and enhancing quality of later life.

Inter-generational role investments of great-grandparents: consequences for psychological well-being

2004 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
LINDA M. DREW ◽  
MERRIL SILVERSTEIN
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Family Roles ◽  
University Of Southern California ◽  
Family Identity ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Parent Role ◽  
The University

Identity theory suggests that individuals who perceive their family roles as salient and feel competent in their performance have greater psychological well-being than others. This paper assesses the ways in which aspects of parent, grandparent and great-grandparent role investments affect self-esteem, levels of depression and affect-balance. The 188 respondents with an average age of 73 years were participants in the University of Southern California Longitudinal Study of Generations and occupied all three roles at the time of measurement. They self-assessed quality of performance, importance to one's identity and satisfaction in their family roles. Overall, levels of role investment declined consistently with greater lineage distance from parent to great-grandparent. Latent correlations showed that parent role investment was most highly associated with well-being, followed by investment in grandparent and great-grandparent roles. Structural equation modelling, however, revealed no unique effects on well-being for any of the three roles (as a result of high inter-correlations). All three role structures formed a single meta-construct that was positively related to psychological well-being. It is concluded that the strength and consequences of inter-generational role investments were hierarchically structured by relational proximity, but also manifested in a single integrated family identity, which suggests that there are two competing and complementary views of family role structures in later life.

scholarly journals In the Shadows of Cancer. Leisure and Subjective Wellbeing of Breast and Ovarian Cancer Patients in Honduras, Nicaragua and Portugal

Women ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 297-311
Author(s):  
Emilia Chamorro ◽  
Margarida M. Barroso
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Ovarian Cancer ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Subjective Wellbeing ◽  
Significant Proportion ◽  
Leisure Activity ◽  
Breast And Ovarian Cancer ◽  
Leisure Engagement ◽  
The Impact

In contemporary societies, a significant proportion of women will be affected by breast or ovarian cancer over the course of their lives. Dealing with illness is known to impact profoundly on the general quality of life of women, but this assessment is usually made in clinical terms, and less attention is given to the social determinants of quality of life for cancer patients, and to the implications of cancer for their subjective wellbeing. In this article, we specifically discuss the impact of being engaged in a leisure activity for the subjective wellbeing of women experiencing breast or ovarian cancer. Based on an exploratory comparative study among Honduras, Nicaragua and Portugal, we analyze the influence of leisure engagement, country of residence, treatment and social support for the subjective wellbeing of women dealing with cancer, proposing a discussion on the intersections of wellbeing, leisure and illness. The research was supported by a survey applied to 128 women diagnosed with breast and ovarian cancer. Significant relationships were found amongst subjective wellbeing, leisure engagement, country and support from patients’ associations. Results highlight the need to consider the effects of leisure among cancer patients, and the importance of institutionalized support to improve their quality of life.

Leisure Activities and the Subjective Well-Being of Older Adults in Croatia

GeroPsych ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ljiljana Kaliterna Lipovčan ◽  
Tihana Brkljačić ◽  
Zvjezdana Prizmić Larsen ◽  
Andreja Brajša-Žganec ◽  
Renata Franc
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Leisure Activities ◽  
Leisure Activity ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Perceived Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Hierarchical Regression ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Financial Status

Abstract. Research shows that engagement in leisure activities promotes well-being among older adults. The objective of the current study was to examine the relationship between subjective well-being (flourishing) and leisure activities (total number of different activities in the previous year) in a sample of older adults in Croatia, thereby considering the variables of sex, marital status, financial status, and self-perceived health. The differences in the examined variables between the groups of older adults who reported to be engaged in new activities with those who did not were also examined. The sample of N = 169 older adults aged 60 years and above was drawn from a convenience sample of adult internet users in Croatia. Participants reported their self-perceived health and the number of leisure activities they engaged in over the previous year as well as completing the Flourishing Scale. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that older adults who were engaged in more various leisure activities, who perceived better financial status, and who were married reported higher levels of flourishing. A comparison of the two groups of older adults with and without engagement in leisure activities showed that those engaged in at least one leisure activity were more likely to be women, reported higher levels of flourishing, and perceived their own financial status as better. This study indicated that engaging in leisure activities in later life might provide beneficial effects for the well-being of older adults.

scholarly journals One Song, Many Voices: Dementia and The Power of Music

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 775-775
Author(s):  
Debra Sheets ◽  
Stuart MacDonald ◽  
Andre Smith
Keyword(s):  
High School Students ◽  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Social Connections ◽  
Social Connection ◽  
School Students ◽  
Choral Singing ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Care Partners

Abstract Choral singing is a novel approach to reduce dementia stigma and social isolation while offering participants a sense of purpose, joy and social connection. The pervasiveness of stigma surrounding dementia remains one of the biggest barriers to living life with dignity following a diagnosis (Alzheimer Society of Canada, 2018). This paper examines how a social inclusion model of dementia care involving an intergenerational choir for people living with dementia, their care partners and high school students can reduce stigma and foster social connections. Multiple methodologies are used to investigate the effects of choir participation on cognition, stress levels, social connections, stigma, and quality of life. Results demonstrate the positive impact of choir participation and indicate that this socially inclusive intervention offers an effective, non-pharmacological alternative for older adults living with dementia in the community. Discussion focuses on the importance of instituting meaningful and engaging dementia-friendly activities at the community level.

scholarly journals Asking Young Adults about Their Attitudes toward and Knowledge of Sex in Later Life

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 870-871
Author(s):  
Iulia Fratila ◽  
Liza Berdychevsky
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Survey Methods ◽  
Leisure Activity ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Knowledge And Attitudes ◽  
Intercept Survey ◽  
Knowledge Practice ◽  
Research Questions

Abstract Sexual expression is a lifelong need related to health and wellbeing. However, older adults’ sexuality is often neglected and stigmatized due to societal ageist stereotypes portraying them as asexual. Although baby boomers’ generation resists such portrayals, societal acceptance of sexuality in later life is slow to materialize. The purpose of this study was to explore this acceptance among young adults while focusing on three research questions: (1) How much do young adults know about older adults’ sexuality and how do they feel about it? (2) Do young adults’ knowledge and views of later-life sexuality vary by gender? (3) Do young adults’ views of later-life sexuality vary based on their general attitudes toward sexuality? Data collection included online and intercept survey methods. The sample (N=270) was young (M=21.58 years, SD=4.32) and included 149 women and 113 men. Results revealed that young adults had medium levels of knowledge, yet rather permissive/open-minded attitudes regarding later-life sexuality. Higher levels of knowledge were unrelated to more permissive attitudes. Independent samples t-test revealed no differences by gender in young adults’ knowledge and attitudes. However, multiple regression results indicated that general liberal attitudes toward sexuality (β=.772, t=17.867, p=.000) and viewing sex as leisure activity (β=.147, t=3.338, p=.001) are significant predictors of having more permissive/open-minded attitudes toward older adults’ sexuality (R2=.557, F(3,266)=111.390, p=.000). These findings suggest that socio-psychological (rather than cognitive and demographic) factors drive the acceptance of later-life sexuality among young adults. This study offers valuable insights for knowledge, practice, and advocacy concerning older adults’ sexuality.

scholarly journals Medical and surgical interventions to improve the quality of life for endometriosis patients: a systematic review

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maurizio Nicola D’Alterio ◽  
Stefania Saponara ◽  
Mirian Agus ◽  
Antonio Simone Laganà ◽  
Marco Noventa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
English Language ◽  
Short Form ◽  
Work And Family ◽  
Surgical Interventions ◽  
Medline Search ◽  
Accessible Information ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Surgical Treatments

AbstractEndometriosis impairs the quality of life (QoL) of many women, including their social relationships, daily activity, productivity at work, and family planning. The aim of this review was to determine the instruments used to examine QoL in previous clinical studies of endometriosis and to evaluate the effect of medical and surgical interventions for endometriosis on QoL. We conducted a systematic search and review of studies published between January 2010 and December 2020 using MEDLINE. Search terms included “endometriosis” and “quality of life.” We only selected studies that used a standardized questionnaire to evaluate QoL before and after medical or surgical interventions. Only articles in the English language were examined. The initial search identified 720 results. After excluding duplicates and applying inclusion criteria, 37 studies were selected for analysis. We found that the two scales most frequently used to measure QoL were the Short Form-36 health survey questionnaire (SF-36) and the Endometriosis Health Profile-30 (EHP-30). Many medical and surgical treatments demonstrated comparable benefits in pain control and QoL improvement. There is no clear answer as to what is the best treatment for improving QoL because each therapy must be personalized for the patient and depends on the woman’s goals. In conclusion, women must be informed about endometriosis and given easily accessible information to improve treatment adherence and their QoL.

scholarly journals Family Ties: Women's Work and Family Histories and their Association with Incomes in Later Life in the UK

2010 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
TOM SEFTON ◽  
MARIA EVANDROU ◽  
JANE FALKINGHAM
Keyword(s):  
Older Women ◽  
Close Association ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Work And Family ◽  
Positive Finding ◽  
Work History ◽  
Family Histories ◽  
Public Transfers ◽  
Work Histories ◽  
Personal Incomes

AbstractThis article examines the relationship between the family and work histories of older women and their personal incomes in later life, using retrospective data from the first 15 waves of the British Household Panel Survey. The association between women's family histories and their incomes later in life are relatively weak, explaining only a small proportion of the overall variation in older women's incomes. Divorce, early widowhood and re-marriage are not associated with any significant differences in older women's incomes, while motherhood is only associated with a small reduction in incomes later in life. While there are significant differences in the work histories of older women with different family histories, this translates into relatively small differences in their personal incomes, because the types of employment career pursued by most women are not associated with significantly higher retirement incomes and because public transfers dampen work history-related differentials, especially for widows. On the one hand, this could be seen as a positive finding in that the ‘pension penalty’ associated with life-course events such as motherhood and divorce is not as severe as often anticipated. On the other hand, the main reason for this is that the pension returns to working longer are relatively low, particularly for women with few qualifications. The analysis suggests that women retiring over the next two decades are unlikely to benefit significantly from the additional years they have spent in employment, because most of this increase has been in part-time employment. The article highlights the tensions between two objectives: rewarding work, and protecting the most vulnerable, such as carers, long-term disabled and unemployed. Resolving this dilemma involves moving away from a close association between pension entitlements and work history and towards universal entitlement based on a citizen's pension.

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