Citation

Freysinger VJ, Stanley D. Activ. Adapt. Aging 1995; 19(3): 31-42.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1995, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1300/J016v19n03_03

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Because of leisure's relationship to satisfaction, morale, happiness, and well-being in later life (Kelly, 1993), what influences leisure activity participation in later life is important to understand. Using a 16-year longitudinal study of community residing older adults, this research examined sex differences in (a) age changes in self-reported health and leisure activity involvement and (b) the relationship between self-reported health and leisure activity involvement. Results of this study of predominantly Euro-American, married older women and men indicate similarities in levels of and age changes in self-reported health. However, the frequency of the leisure activity involvement of women was less likely than that of men to be affected by increasing age and decreasing health. Suggested is that maintaining or enhancing physical health should be the focus of leisure service providers. Why gender mediates the experience of and relationship among aging, health, and leisure in later life needs to be examined by leisure researchers.