Retirees' Leisure: Activities, Benefits, and their Contribution to Life Satisfaction

Abstract

This article examines the structures of leisure activities and leisure benefits of individuals who have recently retired. It also explores the contribution of leisure activities and benefits to a higher life satisfaction at this phase of life. The study is based on in‐person quantitative interviews with 383 retirees in an Israeli national sample survey. Results indicate that there are 13 factors of leisure activities and five factors of leisure benefits, all of which are interrelated. Six of the activity factors contribute significantly to retirees' life satisfaction (high culture and ‘dolce‐vita’, free out of home activities, spirituality and enrichment, popular culture, following generation, and independent home activities). The only leisure benefit that indicates a significant influence on life satisfaction is essentiality. The results of this study support and clarify the Activity Theory, and enhance understanding of the role of leisure in achieving a high level of life satisfaction, which is equivalent to a successful adaptation to retirement.

Keywords:

• retirement
• activities
• leisure benefits
• life satisfaction
• activity theory

Acknowledgements

This study is based on the author's doctoral dissertation, submitted to the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in June 2003. The research was financially supported by: Brookdale Institute of Gerontology and Human Development; Eshel – the Association for the Planning and Development of Services for the Aged in Israel; the Department of Communication and Journalism, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem; the Harvey L. Silbert Center for Israel Studies; Israel's Social Security Institute; the Israeli Local Community Centers Corporation; the Kama Foundation; the Israeli Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare; the Levi Eshkol Institute for Social, Economic, and Political Research in Israel; the Shaine Center for Research in Social Sciences; the Smart Family Foundation Communications Institute; and by Strauss Group. The author wishes to express her appreciation to Professor Hanna Adony, Department of Communication and Journalism, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, for guiding and supervising the study.