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Ageing, Leisure, and Social Connectedness: How could Leisure Help Reduce Social Isolation of Older People?

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  • Vera Toepoel

Abstract

This study investigates the relation between leisure activities and the social status of the elderly based on a heterogeneous sample of the Dutch population. Close relationships are also analyzed to identify which people could serve as successful stimulators of leisure participation. The social profile confirms that older people have fewer social contacts and often feel lonely. This study shows that leisure activities explain a significant part of older people’s social connectedness. Voluntary work, cultural activities, holiday, sports, reading books, hobbies and shopping are found to be successful predictors for social connectedness of older people. Watching TV, listening to the radio, and spending time behind the computer (passive activities) were not associated with social connectedness. Friends correlate positively to participation in leisure activities. Partners play a role in participation in cultural activities and sports; parents play a role in participation in voluntary work and holidays; siblings play a role in voluntary work and sports; and children play a role in cultural activities, reading books, and shopping. Local communities can use these close relationships and develop special programs to increase social connectedness and hence improve quality of life for older adults. Copyright The Author(s) 2013

Suggested Citation

  • Vera Toepoel, 2013. "Ageing, Leisure, and Social Connectedness: How could Leisure Help Reduce Social Isolation of Older People?," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 113(1), pages 355-372, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:113:y:2013:i:1:p:355-372
    DOI: 10.1007/s11205-012-0097-6
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    9. Ricardo Pagan, 2016. "Are Relational Goods Important for People with Disabilities?," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 11(4), pages 1117-1135, December.
    10. Amy Chan Hyung Kim & Jungsu Ryu & Chungsup Lee & Kyung Min Kim & Jinmoo Heo, 2021. "Sport Participation and Happiness Among Older Adults: A Mediating Role of Social Capital," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(4), pages 1623-1641, April.
    11. Tiia Kekäläinen & Terhi-Anna Wilska & Katja Kokko, 2017. "Leisure Consumption and well-Being among Older Adults: Does Age or Life Situation Matter?," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 12(3), pages 671-691, September.
    12. Efstratia Arampatzi & Martijn J. Burger & Natallia Novik, 2018. "Social Network Sites, Individual Social Capital and Happiness," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 19(1), pages 99-122, January.
    13. Po-Wen Ku & Kenneth R. Fox & Li-Jung Chen, 2016. "Leisure-Time Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviors and Subjective Well-Being in Older Adults: An Eight-Year Longitudinal Research," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 127(3), pages 1349-1361, July.
    14. Suparna Saha & Sanghamitra Basu & Debapratim Pandit, 2022. "Identifying Factors Influencing Perceived Quality of Life (QoL) of Indian Elderly: Case Study of Kolkata, India," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 160(2), pages 867-907, April.
    15. Xue Bai & Daniel W. L. Lai & Nelson W. S. Chow, 2016. "Measuring Older Adults’ Individual Modernity," SAGE Open, , vol. 6(1), pages 21582440166, February.
    16. Vanessa Burholt & Bethan Winter & Marja Aartsen & Costas Constantinou & Lena Dahlberg & Villar Feliciano & Jenny Jong Gierveld & Sofie Regenmortel & Charles Waldegrave, 2020. "A critical review and development of a conceptual model of exclusion from social relations for older people," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 17(1), pages 3-19, March.
    17. Kristi J. MacDonald & Gonneke Willemsen & Dorret I. Boomsma & Julie Aitken Schermer, 2020. "Predicting Loneliness from Where and What People Do," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-9, April.
    18. Conrad Ziller & Hans-Jürgen Andreß, 2022. "Quality of local government and social trust in European cities," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 59(9), pages 1909-1925, July.
    19. Mary Pang & Ming-Ming Lai & Lee-Lee Chong & Yvonne Lee & Siok-Hwa Lau, 2024. "Modelling retirement resources, home environment and quality of marriage for greater well-being," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 19(5), pages 2933-2966, October.
    20. Lieve J. Hoeyberghs & Jos M. G. A. Schols & Dominique Verté & Nico Witte, 2020. "Psychological Frailty and Quality of Life of Community Dwelling Older People: a Qualitative Study," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 15(5), pages 1395-1412, November.
    21. Toder-Alon, Anat & Icekson, Tamar & Shuv-Ami, Avichai, 2019. "Team identification and sports fandom as predictors of fan aggression: The moderating role of ageing," Sport Management Review, Elsevier, vol. 22(2), pages 194-208.
    22. Ricardo Pagan, 2020. "Sport Participation, Life Satisfaction and Domains of Satisfaction among People with Disabilities," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 15(3), pages 893-911, July.
    23. Noguchi, Taiji & Bone, Jessica K. & Saito, Tami & Kondo, Katsunori & Mak, Hei Wan, 2024. "Arts and cultural engagement and subsequent social deficits among older adults: A three-year longitudinal study using the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 356(C).

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