International Journal of Gerontology
Volume 4, Issue 2 , Pages 69-74, June 2010

Factors Associated With Leisure Participation Among the Elderly Living in Long-term Care Facilities

  • Li Li

      Affiliations

    • Department of Nursing Home, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Hong-Jer Chang

      Affiliations

    • Co-first author
    • National Taipei College of Nursing, Taipei, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Hung-I Yeh

      Affiliations

    • Cardiovascular Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
    • Mackay Medicine, Nursing and Management College, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Charles Jia-Yin Hou

      Affiliations

    • Cardiovascular Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Cheng-Ho Tsai

      Affiliations

    • Cardiovascular Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
    • Mackay Medicine, Nursing and Management College, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Jui-Peng Tsai

      Affiliations

    • Cardiovascular Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorrespondence to: Dr Jui-Peng Tsai, Cardiovascular Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Mackay Memorial Hospital, 92, Section 2, Chung Shan North Road, Taipei 10449, Taiwan

Accepted 19 January 2010.

Article Outline

Summary 

Background

A lack of participation in leisure activities often leads to depression in the elderly. This study investigated the factors impacting leisure participation among the elderly living in long-term care facilities.

Methods

This cross-sectional study recruited 309 individuals older than 65 years from six long-term care facilities located in the Taipei area. Structured in-person questionnaires were administered to assess their demographic characteristics, general self-rated health status, leisure constraints, and leisure participation.

Results

The average frequency of leisure participation was 27.20 ± 12.48 points. The top five most popular leisure activities were watching television, walking, chatting, reading, and participating in religious activities. Elderly subjects who tended to be female, have religious beliefs, have a high school education level, be married, perceive themselves in better health, demonstrate better cognitive function and have higher scores on activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living scales were more likely to participate in leisure activities (p < 0.05). In contrast, those who were older, had stayed in the facility for a longer time period and had more leisure constraints were less likely to participate in leisure activities (p < 0.05). Overall, the predictive factors for leisure participation included religious beliefs, educational level, cognitive skill, instrumental activities of daily living score, depression, personal inner constraints, and structural constraints. The entire model was significant (F = 11.03, p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Based on the self-reported interests, health status and level of cognitive skill of elderly residents, long-term care facilities should arrange appropriate leisure activities to prevent depression and to improve quality of life.

Key Words:  depression , elderly , leisure activities , long-term care , physically handicapped

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PII: S1873-9598(10)70026-0

doi:10.1016/S1873-9598(10)70026-0

International Journal of Gerontology
Volume 4, Issue 2 , Pages 69-74, June 2010

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