The relationship between leisure activity types selected by older adults and their income

Abstract

This study focused on investigating the relationship between leisure activity types selected by individuals aged 65 and older and their income. The target population included inhabitants of Mersin Province aged 65 and older. A purposive sample of 228 individuals was recruited to participate in the study. The questionnaire consisted of a demographic information form and the “Leisure participation scale”, including six different activity types for which the respondents were asked to determine the frequency of participation. The collected data were analysed for normality, and by applying the independent T-test and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). In order to discover the cause of the inter-group differences (e.g. education level), Fisher’s LSD test was used. Significance was set at 0.05. The respondents’ participation in cultural activities was found to be positively correlated with their income level. Individuals in the low income group preferred “volunteering activities”, while individuals in the high income group preferred “cultural activities such as watching TV, going to cinema, concerts, museums”. Individuals in the moderate income group usually opted for “hobbies and indoor activities such as painting, reading, playing musical instruments”. Elderly people with moderate incomes, who tend to prefer indoor activities, should be encouraged to engage in outdoor activities that are more beneficial for their mental, physiological and psychological health. This results of the study can be used as recommendations concerning leisure activity types for private elderly care centers, ministries responsible for the health of elderly people, local authorities and other institutions that plan leisure activities for this social group.