Purpose and pleasure in late life: Conceptualising older women's participation in art and craft activities

Lynne Parkinson,Jeannine L.M. Liddle,David W. Sibbritt

doi:10.1016/j.jaging.2013.08.002

Abstract

The fourth age, as the last stage of life, represents a final challenge to find personal meaning in the face of changing capacities, illness and disability. Participation in valued activities is important for sustaining interest in life and has been associated with enhanced health and well-being. Art and craft activities are a popular form of participation amongst women in late life with growing international interest in the potential for these types of activities to maintain health and well-being and address problems of social isolation. Drawing on open text comments from 114 women enrolled in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health and in-depth interviews with 23 women all aged in their eighties, this paper explores the nature of older women's participation in art and craft activities and conceptualises links between participation in these activities and health and well-being in late life. Participation in art and craft activities is complex and dynamic, comprising cognitive and physical processes infused with emotion and occurs in the context of social relationships, physical spaces, physical ailments and beliefs about the value of the activities. By participating in art and craft activities, older women find purpose in their lives, contributing to their subjective well-being whilst helping and being appreciated by others. They develop a self view as enabled and as such take on new art and craft challenges, continue to learn and develop as art and craft makers and remain open to new possibilities.

Highlights

If a third age of human lifespan has been envisioned as a time of choice, growth and opportunity, a fourth age, by contrast, has been viewed as a time of lost choice, decline and difficulty (Lloyd, Calnan, Cameron, Seymour and Smith, 2012)
Two distinct sources of data were drawn upon – firstly, all open text comments that referred to art and craft activities in response to the final question in the 2005 and 2008 surveys which asked survey participants to write “anything else you would like to tell us about changes in your health” (Women's Health Australia, 2011)
Study participants Relevant comments from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health (ALSWH) 2005 and 2008 surveys were identified from 114 women, while 23 women participated in the interviews

Summary

Introduction

If a third age of human lifespan has been envisioned as a time of choice, growth and opportunity, a fourth age, by contrast, has been viewed as a time of lost choice, decline and difficulty (Lloyd, Calnan, Cameron, Seymour and Smith, 2012). Definitions based on population demographics would put the start of the fourth age at around 75 – 85 years (Baltes and Smith, 2003). At this stage, the collective efforts of society in general, science and medicine, governments and individuals, appear less able to maintain or improve quality of life (Baltes and Smith, 2003). Rather, recognising the diversity of ageing allows active engagement in life in many forms regardless of age or dependency (Boudiny, 2012)

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Conclusion