Leisure and ageing: The leisure experiences of older Italians in an Australian community

Abstract

Background: A search of the occupational therapy literature revealed a paucity of research on how older adults make use of their leisure time, what meaning these pursuits have to them, and whether their chosen leisure occupations are health enhancing. Occupational therapy literature on how people of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds understood leisure was also lacking.Aim: This thesis documented a qualitative research study that aimed to discover how Italians aged 65 years and older living in the City of Greater Geelong, Victoria, Australia engaged in leisure occupations, the meanings that were derived from leisure engagement, and whether such subjective experiences of leisure produced health benefits.Methods and results: A phenomenological study design was utilised, and data were collected through semistructured interviews and a reflective journal. Participants engaged in numerous meaningful leisure occupations that directly impacted on positive subjective experiences and health outcomes. The subjective experiences found concurred with current research, and were categorised under the three main constructs of leisure theory: ‘intrinsic motivation’, ‘internal control’ and ‘suspension from reality’.Conclusion: Leisure was found to promote positive subjective experiences, health benefits and successful ageing for the participants. It is suggested that the subjective experiences categorised under the ‘intrinsic motivation’ construct of leisure theory is the main determinant of positive leisure experiences. Furthermore, culturally meaningful leisure occupations were highlighted, and the ‘Leisure Engagement Model’ is proposed to demonstrate the power of leisure on people's lives and on their sense of health towards continued leisure engagement and health promotion.