Leisure Pursuits Research Articles

RESOLV: Development of a telephone-based program designed to increase socialization in older veterans

ABSTRACTWe describe the development of a telephone-based program, Recreation, Education, and Socialization for Older Learning Veterans (RESOLV) that aims to connect Veterans with one another by phone and thereby reduce loneliness. The program was developed through a collaboration between VA and a community-based organization, Episcopal Senior Communities Senior Center Without Walls (SCWW). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 rural and non-rural dwelling older Veterans to identify leisure interests and potential barriers to participating in leisure activities. Program feasibility was examined with questions about telephone use and interest in and perceived benefits of a telephone community. We conducted content analysis to quantify Veterans’ leisure interests and thematic analysis to characterize barriers to participation. Veterans expressed interest most frequently in groups focused on conversation, support, gratitude, and technology. Rural and non-rural participants did not differ significantly in interests. Barriers to current activity participation included limited access to activities, limitations due to physical conditions, and transportation difficulties, which were consistent themes for both rural and non-rural participants. Themes related to perceived benefits of socialization that emerged include connectedness, learning from others, being active despite limitations, and distraction from limitations. Our findings demonstrate how a telephone-based socialization program could be developed and tailored for older Veterans. It seems that such a program is feasible and may be of benefit for older Veterans in rural and non-rural areas. Further evaluation is needed to ascertain the direct benefit of such a program to older Veterans.

Revisiting cognitive reserve and cognition in multiple sclerosis: A closer look at depression

Background: The protective effect of cognitive reserve (CR) on cognition in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) has been well described. Objective: To explore the relationship between aspects of CR, namely, leisure pursuits and depression. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, a sample of 155 PwMS and 115 healthy controls (HC) underwent cognitive testing with the Minimal Assessment of Cognitive Function in Multiple Sclerosis (MACFIMS) battery. Leisure activity was retrospectively recorded using the Leisure Activity Scale (LAS). Depression was assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Results: PwMS demonstrated greater decreases in leisure activity over time compared to the HC group, particularly in the past year (p < 0.001). Here, depression accounted for 17% of the variance in determining the level of leisure activity (p < 0.001). Premorbid IQ and leisure activity within the past year emerged as significant predictors of information processing speed, learning, memory and executive function. After controlling for depression, the influence of leisure activity on cognition was insignificant. Conclusion: Depression can cause significant changes in behaviour which can influence indices of CR, such as leisure pursuits. Successfully treating depression may lead to a more active lifestyle thereby offsetting in part the cognitive burden of disease.

Walking for leisure: the translocal lives of first generation Gujarati Indian men and women

Walking as a leisure pastime is particularly popular amongst first generation members of the South Asian community. Whilst the lives of younger generations of South Asian men and women have tended to be at the forefront of academic debates, this has had the unfortunate effect of reducing the subjectivities of older groups to more narrow and fixed ideas about South Asian traditions and cultures. Thus limiting an understanding of their identities as also being hybrid, multiple and in-process. Additionally, much of the research about the leisure lives of migrant groups has been based upon research about the subjectivities and belongings of men, the histories of women have been relatively ignored. In order to address these absences, this research utilised participatory methods to explore first generation Gujarati Indian men and women’s particular experiences of walking. The research findings revealed that the spaces/places that they walked through and across as part of their daily routines whilst relatively ordinary, were deeply meaningful, they enabled the participants to forward the translocal character of their identities over time and across space.

Selling Pain to the Saturated Self

Abstract How can we comprehend people who pay for an experience marketed as painful? On one hand, consumers spend billions of dollars every year to alleviate different kinds of pain. On the other hand, millions of individuals participate in extremely painful leisure pursuits. In trying to understand this conundrum, we ethnographically study a popular adventure challenge where participants subject themselves to electric shocks, fire, and freezing water. Through sensory intensification, pain brings the body into sharp focus, allowing individuals to rediscover their corporeality. In addition, painful extraordinary experiences operate as regenerative escapes from the self. By flooding the consciousness with gnawing unpleasantness, pain provides a temporary relief from the burdens of self-awareness. Finally, when leaving marks and wounds, pain helps consumers create the story of a fulfilled life. In a context of decreased physicality, market operators play a major role in selling pain to the saturated selves of knowledge workers, who use pain as a way to simultaneously escape reflexivity and craft their life narrative.

The application of network-based GIS tools to investigate spatial variations in the provision of sporting facilities

ABSTRACTMethods whereby access to facilities can be captured in order to support national policies geared towards promoting sports participation and help plan the provision of local facilities are urgently needed. Objective measures derived from the use of Geographical Information Systems can be used to gain an understanding of spatial variations in the location and quality of sporting infrastructure. The aim of this study is to draw on a recreational database for Wales to demonstrate the benefits of ‘enhanced two-step floating catchment area’ techniques for gaining a wider understanding of variations in potential demand for sport facilities in the light of available supply. A practical demonstration showing how such tools can be used to examine variations in provision in relation to potential demand arising from targeted demographic groups is illustrated using the case study of spatial access to lawn bowling greens, an increasingly popular leisure pursuit in Wales.

Engagement of ‘At-Risk’ Youth Through Meaningful Leisure

Many young people today experience marginalization and exclusion. In particular, youth living with challenging conditions such as poverty, homelessness, abusive/addictive behaviors, and mental health issues, often have limited access to opportunities and resources. This paper focuses on the role of leisure as a meaningful way of youth engagement. Specifically, the paper explores how youth-led leisure opportunities can help young people caught in the dynamics of exclusion and marginalization, which often magnify inequities and hinder positive developmental outcomes. Through both a critical review of the literature and a reflection on the gaps identified within the examined literature, a conceptual model of mechanisms involving leisure and youth engagement is presented for potential use in future research and practice. Described as circular relationships in the model, youth-led meaningful engagement through leisure is proposed to promote positive relationship-building, co-learning, power-sharing, and empowerment. In turn, positive interpersonal relationships are proposed to support meaningful leisure within a safe, open, and non-judgmental space to co-learn. Furthermore, meaningful leisure is proposed to provide an avenue to reinforce positive relationships and learn/discover about self, others, and the world. Importantly, what youth do with leisure, rather than what leisure does to youth, should be emphasized to promote constructive youth-led engagement through meaningful leisure. The former concept (i.e., what youth do with leisure) is more youth-driven than the latter concept (i.e., what leisure does to youth), which is more prescriptive in nature. Overall, this paper suggests that simply because we develop leisure programs for “at-risk/high-risk” young people, the use of a top-down, prescriptive approach can be detrimental to them. Rather than adults always leading engagement activities, it would be more desirable to share with and be guided by youth concerning the leadership and mentoring of engagement activities including both leisure and non-leisure pursuits in youth’s lives. Because of leisure’s unique characteristic of being intrinsically chosen and defined, leisure is a very important tool in a bottom-up, youth-led/guided approach to meaningful engagement of “at-risk/high-risk” youth. Through sharing experiences with youth and learning alongside of them, leisure can provide an avenue for youth to connect positively with their peers and communities, and to promote constructive meaning-making in their lives. These insights have important implications for reframing leisure programs within social services, and improving leisure policy and practice to make these more youth-oriented. Through enacting these youth-oriented changes, programs can better support and inspire youth’s passions for the pursuit of meaningful, fulfilling lives. Subscribe to JPRA

“It’s More than Doing Sports Together, You Know. It’s Deeply Personal”: Preliminary Findings of an Ongoing Qualitative Study on the Relationships between Personal Fitness Trainers and Trainees

Training at the gym has become, without question, one of the most popular leisure pursuits in contemporary Western societies. In addition to conventional forms of fitness training with free weights, on machines or in exercise-to-music classes, more and more gym members decide to work out with a certified personal trainer on a one-to-one basis, often over long periods of time. The purpose of this ongoing study is to explore the relationship between personal fitness trainers and trainees with a focus on their subjective experiences. Eight semi-structured, indepth interviews were conducted so far and analysed through a thematic analysis. Two central themes have emerged from the data: First, the trainer-trainee relationship is for both sides more than a transactional event but an emotionally significant encounter. Second, trainees describe an occasional reversal of roles where they show interest in and concern about the trainer. Future research should account for possible gender differences, changes of relational dynamics over time and possible negative experiences of both trainers and trainees.

Popular Music in the Time of J. S. Bach: The Leipzig Mandora Manuscript

Popular Music in the Time of J. S. Bach:The Leipzig Mandora Manuscript Gary Sampsell (bio) Research on music-making in Leipzig in the first part of the eighteenth century has traditionally focused on composers such as Johann Kuhnau, Georg Philipp Telemann, and Johann Sebastian Bach, all of whom were associated with institutions. However, the great majority of music-making in Leipzig and other cities occurred in informal settings and seldom found its way into the historical record. This was particularly true when there was no demonstrable connection to a famous composer; as a result, this area has remained relatively unexplored. The Leipzig Mandora Manuscript is a little-known source from the estate of Carl Ferdinand Becker (1804–1877).1 This anonymous collection features popular songs, dances, and hymns notated in French lute tablature. Becker inscribed the first of its fifty sheets with the title Tonstucke fur die Mandore um das Jahr 1730 [Pieces for the Mandora from around the year 1730]. A study of its contents reveals a trove of information: the innovative use of print editions, arias celebrating leisure pursuits, and evidence of performance practice. Taken together, these pieces form an image of a vibrant musical life with the capacity to strengthen social bonds. [End Page 1] Click for larger view View full resolution Figure 1. The Leipzig Mandora Manuscript, in the hand of C. F. Becker. [End Page 2] The Instrument Although the thirteen-course lute emerged as the principal plucked chordophone in eighteenth-century Germany, other members of the lute family were played by devotees as well. The mandora was apparently developed as a more accessible alternative. Reminiscent of the Renaissance lute, this longer version had a relatively modest number of courses; six was common, but some had seven or eight. The mandora was tuned to either D or E with an interval pattern like that of the modern guitar (4-4-4-3-4). The D tuning (D-G-c-f-a-d´) provides a range equivalent to the viola da gamba and was the more common tuning in the first half of the century.2 There is some evidence that suggests that the mandora was employed in institutional contexts in Leipzig. In memoranda dated 1704, 1709, and 1717, Kuhnau documented the use of similar instruments,3 which were called Colochonen, Coloscionen, and Calichonen, respectively.4 In the first petition, he described them as "a type of lute that, however, projects, and is necessary for all contemporary ensembles."5 These sentiments were echoed by Johann Mattheson, who also reported that the calichon was tuned to D with the same interval pattern mentioned above.6 In his second and third petitions, Kuhnau conspicuously listed these instruments along with [End Page 3] other foundational forces (e.g., violoncellos and basses), alluding to their functional role within the ensemble.7 Extant parts from Leipzig's Neue Kirche provide additional documentation for the use of the mandora in a church setting. These parts belong to two early works by Telemann, who served as organist and music director from 1704 to 1705, and a cantata composed by Melchior Hoffmann in 1708. They are marked Calcedono or Calcedon, presumably the same instrument referenced in Kuhnau's memoranda. The parts contain no figures, suggesting that the calcedon was employed to reinforce the bass line.8 Whether or not the mandora was introduced as a novelty, it appears to have found an institutional role in Leipzig during the first quarter of the century. There are no official records of its use after 1717, but a published account of the instrument appeared the following decade, implying its steady presence.9 In defense of the thirteen-course lute against earlier criticism, Ernst Gottlieb Baron pointed out the limited range of the calichon in his Study of the Lute (1727): He [Mattheson] also says that the calichon is much more useful in accompaniment, but forgets that the bass part of a lute cannot be more than the whole, especially since many strings can do more than three, four, or six courses.10 This description supports earlier evidence and is a tacit acknowledgement of the use of the calichon in the church and opera house. If there...

Popular Music in the Time of J. S. Bach: The Leipzig Mandora Manuscript

Popular Music in the Time of J. S. Bach:The Leipzig Mandora Manuscript Gary Sampsell (bio) Research on music-making in Leipzig in the first part of the eighteenth century has traditionally focused on composers such as Johann Kuhnau, Georg Philipp Telemann, and Johann Sebastian Bach, all of whom were associated with institutions. However, the great majority of music-making in Leipzig and other cities occurred in informal settings and seldom found its way into the historical record. This was particularly true when there was no demonstrable connection to a famous composer; as a result, this area has remained relatively unexplored. The Leipzig Mandora Manuscript is a little-known source from the estate of Carl Ferdinand Becker (1804–1877).1 This anonymous collection features popular songs, dances, and hymns notated in French lute tablature. Becker inscribed the first of its fifty sheets with the title Tonstucke fur die Mandore um das Jahr 1730 [Pieces for the Mandora from around the year 1730]. A study of its contents reveals a trove of information: the innovative use of print editions, arias celebrating leisure pursuits, and evidence of performance practice. Taken together, these pieces form an image of a vibrant musical life with the capacity to strengthen social bonds. [End Page 1] Click for larger view View full resolution Figure 1. The Leipzig Mandora Manuscript, in the hand of C. F. Becker. [End Page 2] The Instrument Although the thirteen-course lute emerged as the principal plucked chordophone in eighteenth-century Germany, other members of the lute family were played by devotees as well. The mandora was apparently developed as a more accessible alternative. Reminiscent of the Renaissance lute, this longer version had a relatively modest number of courses; six was common, but some had seven or eight. The mandora was tuned to either D or E with an interval pattern like that of the modern guitar (4-4-4-3-4). The D tuning (D-G-c-f-a-d´) provides a range equivalent to the viola da gamba and was the more common tuning in the first half of the century.2 There is some evidence that suggests that the mandora was employed in institutional contexts in Leipzig. In memoranda dated 1704, 1709, and 1717, Kuhnau documented the use of similar instruments,3 which were called Colochonen, Coloscionen, and Calichonen, respectively.4 In the first petition, he described them as "a type of lute that, however, projects, and is necessary for all contemporary ensembles."5 These sentiments were echoed by Johann Mattheson, who also reported that the calichon was tuned to D with the same interval pattern mentioned above.6 In his second and third petitions, Kuhnau conspicuously listed these instruments along with [End Page 3] other foundational forces (e.g., violoncellos and basses), alluding to their functional role within the ensemble.7 Extant parts from Leipzig's Neue Kirche provide additional documentation for the use of the mandora in a church setting. These parts belong to two early works by Telemann, who served as organist and music director from 1704 to 1705, and a cantata composed by Melchior Hoffmann in 1708. They are marked Calcedono or Calcedon, presumably the same instrument referenced in Kuhnau's memoranda. The parts contain no figures, suggesting that the calcedon was employed to reinforce the bass line.8 Whether or not the mandora was introduced as a novelty, it appears to have found an institutional role in Leipzig during the first quarter of the century. There are no official records of its use after 1717, but a published account of the instrument appeared the following decade, implying its steady presence.9 In defense of the thirteen-course lute against earlier criticism, Ernst Gottlieb Baron pointed out the limited range of the calichon in his Study of the Lute (1727): He [Mattheson] also says that the calichon is much more useful in accompaniment, but forgets that the bass part of a lute cannot be more than the whole, especially since many strings can do more than three, four, or six courses.10 This description supports earlier evidence and is a tacit acknowledgement of the use of the calichon in the church and opera house. If there...

Manhood on the Line: Working-Class Masculinities in the American Heartland by Stephen Meyer

Reviewed by: Manhood on the Line: Working-Class Masculinities in the American Heartland by Stephen Meyer Craig Heron Stephen Meyer, Manhood on the Line: Working-Class Masculinities in the American Heartland (Urbana: University of Illinois Press 2016) Stephen Meyer wants to make labour historians squirm. He wants us to look hard at the male wage-earner and see beyond the heroic militant that we so often write into our accounts of working-class history. He points us to "the underside of labor and union history – the rough and sometimes regressive aspects of working-class and union culture." (ix) Specifically he directs our attention to the deeply ambivalent place of working-class masculinities in labour history. Meyer has spent a lifetime studying the US auto industry, and previously produced two highly influential monographs and a collection of essays. Now he has turned back to look more closely at the masculine identities of autoworkers. He begins with the well-recognized dichotomy between the "respectable" and the "rough" that was still visible at the dawn of the 20th century: "If the laborer's sense of crude manliness emerged from the roughness of physical strength and dangerous work, the respectable craftsman's manhood arose from refined values of control, skill, autonomy, and independence." (6) He argues that the rise of mass-production labour processes undermined both versions of masculinity and prompted men working in semi-skilled jobs in auto plants to "re-masculinize their work and male identities" (9) by a kind of amalgamation of the free-spirited rough culture and the respectable culture of reasonably well-paid occupational security. He adds that this "new working-class idea of manliness" also took on "more explicit sexual connotations." (10) The consequences for women in particular were dire. The book is divided into chapters that carry that story forward from the early 20th century to the 1980s, though most of the author's attention is on the 1930s and 1940s, when the United Auto Workers (uaw) became a powerful force within the industry. He opens with a sketch of the impact of mass-production on the new workforce drawn into auto plants – the monotony, tedium, speed-up, humiliation, and physical dangers – that form the backdrop and the terrain on which the new masculinities of the auto plants were worked out. There were formal and informal versions of the new identity. The formal involved the struggles to get an industrial union established. Meyer highlights the two divergent directions of these campaigns: "fighting and providing." One involved often violent physical battles between the company's regime of industrial spies and swaggering goons [End Page 290] and the union's flying squadrons of tough-guy fighters. Winning a union was a fierce fight, and its bitter legacy cast a long shadow over workplace relations for years to come. The other strand in the unionization was the bridge between these wage-earners and their responsibilities outside the plants as breadwinners. Meyer emphasizes the gendered rhetoric of union organizing, which urged workers to defend their manhood by joining. In the end, the arrival of collective bargaining with the uaw "allowed them to regain and to reclaim some of their lost manhood that resulted from years of humiliation." (111) Ultimately Meyer is less interested in the more respectable strand in auto-worker unionization and instead focuses most of his discussion of gender on the less public, informal practices of the shop floor. Long before unionization, auto-workers had found various ways to resist the degradation of their working lives and thus "reclaim" their manhood, including absenteeism, labour turnover, restriction of output, and "stealing a trade" (bluffing their way into more skilled jobs). But he pushes further to explore the kind of "bachelor culture" that operated among both the many young workers and the older, married men, which included pranks, profanity, drinking, fighting, and degradation of women, and which overflowed into disreputable leisure pursuits after work. The era of unionization brought a new boldness in expressing this culture, despite the existence of strict work rules and managerial disciplinary procedures. This amounted to an attempt "to transform the workplace into a space of leisure, of hijinks and of fun and games, often...

Fans, Perceived Maturity, and Willingness to Form a Romantic Relationship: Application of a Short Maturity Measure

In the present research we examine the association between perceived maturity of a group and willingness to form a romantic relationship with a member of that group. In Study 1, we tested the validity of a 2-item measure of self-reported maturity by assessing its relationship with existing measures of maturity and other related measures. The new measure showed evidence of being valid. In Study 2, we modified the scale to examine participants’ perceptions of the maturity of fans of various interests (e.g., sport, music, media) and their degree of willingness to form romantic relationships with a member of each fan group. Results revealed a positive correlation between perceived maturity and willingness to date. Together, the results validate the short measure of maturity and demonstrate its utility in finding associations between perceived maturity, content of leisure interests, and prospects of romantic relationship formation

Inglês

The objective of this study is to identify the favorite recreational activities of physical education course academic at theUniversity Vila Velha / ES when they are in the free time of their academic and social obligations and opt for leisure. As well ascategorize these activities from cultural leisure interests. This descriptive and exploratory field research is based on directobservation of activities in the study group and semi-structured interviews. We conclude that the subjects interviewed in this study,from Monday to Friday trade after their academic and social obligations rather as leisure activities those that are restricted in virtualcultic and intellectual interests; leaving the sports physical and social interests in the background.

Duncan and Son: changing professional boundaries in the geological and medical sciences in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries

Abstract The concept of the professional changed markedly from the mid-nineteenth to the early twentieth century. The contrasting careers of Peter Martin Duncan, father, and Cecil Cooke Duncan, son, provide a vignette of these changes in two people who were both actively engaged in geological and medical activities. Peter Martin trained as a doctor and practised for some 20 years. He later became Professor of Geology at Kings College, London and both Secretary and President of the Geological Society. He was a prolific author of both learned articles and books on science for the general public. In his time it was acceptable to combine all these roles into a single career. Cecil trained as a chemist. His career was as the public analyst in Worcester at a time when these posts were becoming professionalized. He contributed to control of health risks in the county. To him geology and natural history were serious leisure pastimes rather than part of his professionally defined career. Father and son therefore show the move from the time when there were fluid disciplinary boundaries to one where a single professional discipline defined and bounded working life and other areas of study became a matter for non-working hours.

The older motorcyclist

BackgroundMotorcyclists are vulnerable road users and are over represented in road fatality and injury statistics. We aimed to explore the trend of ageing motorcyclists, factors in older motorcyclist collisions and injury severity and fatality rates in older motorcyclists. MethodsWe performed a literature review of the subject using TRID, Cochrane Injuries, Medline and CINAHL. ResultsInternationally, there has been a disproportionate rise in injuries and fatalities involving older motorcyclists. Older motorcyclists are more likely to be admitted to hospital, have more severe injuries, require intensive care, have a longer length of stay and suffer more complications. Head and thoracic injuries are more common and injuries at all sites are more severe in older adults. Comorbidities and reduced physiologic reserve predispose older motorcyclists to higher mortality and more severe injuries. Older motorcyclists are more likely to ride motorcycles with larger capacity engines. They are more likely to crash on higher speed roadways and in rural areas. An increasing proportion of older motorcyclists are returning riders whose riding skill has likely depreciated over time but are riding on powerful machines. ConclusionsMotorcyclists are getting older. The nature of motorcycling is changing and for many, especially older riders, it is primarily a leisure pursuit. In general, older motorcyclists are safer riders but in recent years, there has been an inordinate rise in fatalities and injuries affecting older motorcyclists. Training and safety initiatives for older motorcyclists and returning riders may be effective in reducing injuries and fatalities.

Withdrawing from amateur Junior ice hockey as a means for optimizing leisure experiences

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study was to explore amateur Junior ice hockey players’ opportunities to explore leisure interests when pursuing and after withdrawing from Junior level hockey. Participants consisted of 14 former amateur Junior ice hockey players. Each took part in a semi-structured interview. Findings suggested that the demands associated with Junior level hockey can lead to living a less than optimal leisure lifestyle and limited opportunities to explore other leisure interests. Participants had different approaches in their pursuit of Junior hockey, as some voluntarily neglected other leisure interests, while others felt obliged to participate in hockey and developed a negative perception towards hockey. After withdrawing from Junior hockey, participants perceived their leisure lifestyle as optimal and were able to explore and develop new leisure interests. Withdrawing from sport was not associated with negative consequences for former athletes and became an opportune way for participants to optimize their leisure lifestyle.

The unmet travel needs of the older population: a review of the literature

ABSTRACTUnmet travel needs can be defined as trips and activities that people need or would like to do more, but for a variety of reasons they are prevented from doing so. This paper provides a critical evaluation of the literature focused on unmet travel needs, with the aim of assessing the scope of existing studies on this topic and better understanding the full context of older people’s mobility. This narrative review identifies how travel needs in later life have been assessed, and the barriers that affect the ability of older people to fulfil these needs. Due to the heterogeneity of older people and differences in research approaches, the analysis of the literature is not conclusive in terms of identifying the real impact of the analysed variables and measures on unrealised mobility. Nevertheless, of the studies analysed, on average at least one-third of older people report unmet travel needs. This situation was found to worsen with age, and women were reported to be more affected than men. The pursuit of leisure, and in particular visiting friends and family, was found to be the activity most associated with unmet travel needs.

Aspiraciones al golf en Biarritz y San Sebastián, 1900-1936

El golf, en cuanto practicado por españoles, fue uno de los deportes estrenados en España al comienzo del siglo xx, cuando se crearon clubs deportivos con campos similares a los británicos o franceses. El golf español se inoculó sobre todo en Biarritz, y su campo fue modelo a imitar. Los primeros campos fueron sitios de ocio intenso, y de deporte. Tanto en Biarritz, como después en San Sebastián, el campo de golf se consideró, desde los ayuntamientos y las instituciones de fomento, un equipamiento imprescindible para fijar al turista, y como tal se preocuparon de la supervivencia del nuevo reclamo del forastero, y motivo de orgullo para los locales.

노년의 삶에 의미를 부여하는 여가역할에 관한 질적 연구

The purpose of this study was to explore the role of leisure in meaning-making among 8 community-dwelling older people who played badminton for a long period. The study analyzed the role of leisure in meaning-making which can promote healing and personal development, especially for persons with life difficulties and personal limitations. The exploratory nature of this study involved a variety of interests through their voices and lived experiences. Their perspectives helped to identify in the way and the method in which leisure pursuits can contribute to making one’s life more meaningful among older people. Eight semi-structured interviews were conducted. Analysis of the interviews identified several key themes of meaning-making from leisure that include the role of leisure in promoting: (i) an enjoyable life, (ii) a stabilized life, (iii) a connected life, and (iv) an empowered life. Overall, this study provided evidence for the role of leisure in meaning-making in later life. These findings along with implications for practitioners and future research are provided.

Research note: religious doctrine and its influence on the choice to gamble as a leisure pastime among African American Methodists

This research note examines the relationship between adherence to religious doctrine and participation in gambling as a leisure pastime. In the United States, recreational gambling is a common leisure pastime for many African Americans. Our ideals about the value of gambling are often shaped within families, based on their lived experience with recreational gambling and also within religious communities. Two doctrinal statements from the Methodist strand of Protestantism provide critical assessment of gambling as a leisure pastime. This case study examined African American Methodists’ perceptions about religious doctrine that addresses gambling; their choice to gamble despite their familiarity with the doctrinal position of the Church; and the perception of gambling as a sinful leisure pursuit. Religious doctrine may deter some adherents from participating in gambling as a leisure pursuit but not everyone. Many can be familiar with religious doctrine, may not agree with it and will proceed to gamble. Finally, even if gambling is perceived as a sinful leisure activity, it concurrently can be viewed as a ‘harmless’ vice.

“If I’m not gardening, I’m not at my happiest”: exploring the positive subjective experiences derived from serious leisure gardening by older adults

ABSTRACTExploring the indicators of an individual’s happiness and well-being over their lifetime has become a major research focus. The aim of this study was to identify meanings and values of gardening as a core leisure activity in the lives of older individuals living in a community setting. A key focus of such effort being to discern whether or not leisure gardening contributes to the participants’ overall level of happiness and subjective well-being. Participants were purposely selected from previous research conducted by the authors and who were identified as serious leisure gardeners. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 13 Australians aged 57–84 years. Results identified that participants considered the activity as integral to who they were as a person. Moreover, the study found that the respondents considered gardening to be a central life interest that provided them with a social and active lifestyle. Critically, the activity also offered them a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction through which they derived a deep sense of enjoyment and happiness not experienced by them in other activities. Findings provide strong support for the activity of gardening to be considered more seriously by policy-makers and program developers as a core leisure pursuit that aids older adults to lead a more joyous and fulfilling life in their golden years.