Participation in leisure activities to maintain cognitive health: Perceived educational needs of older adults with stroke

Abstract

Leisure participation may promote cognitive health in older adults who have had a stroke. It is important to provide them with the appropriate tools and resources in order to enable them to engage in these activities. The objective of this study is to identify the educational needs of older adults who have had a stroke in order to support their participation in leisure activities that promote cognitive health. Convergent mixed-methods design was used, with the emphasis on qualitative data, and involving semi-structured interviews with 20 people aged 60 or older who have had a stroke and live at home. The results showed that the profile of participation in leisure and the level of met and unmet needs vary among participants. One of the main needs concerns long-term follow-up and support to pursue personal goals. Preferences include tools and resources promoting active involvement, interactions, and opportunities for choice and control. These results may guide the development of a leisure education program for this population at high risk of cognitive decline.

La participation des aînés ayant subi un accident vasculaire cérébral (AVC) dans des activités de loisirs est favorable au maintien de leur santé cognitive. Il est important de les outiller pour s’engager dans ces activités. L’objectif de cet article est d’identifier les besoins d’éducation des aînés ayant subi un AVC afin de soutenir leur participation dans des activités de loisirs favorisant leur santé cognitive. Un devis mixte à prépondérance qualitative a été utilisé impliquant des entrevues individuelles semi-structurées auprès de 20 personnes de 60 ans et plus ayant subi un AVC et vivant à domicile. Les résultats montrent que le profil de participation aux loisirs et les niveaux de besoins comblés et non comblés varient entre les participants. L’un des principaux besoins concerne le suivi post-réadaptation pour poursuivre l’atteinte de buts personnels. Les outils et les ressources permettant une implication active, des interactions et des opportunités de choix et de contrôle sont préférés. Ces résultats permettent de guider l’élaboration d’un programme visant la participation aux loisirs chez cette population hautement à risque de déclin cognitif.

Keywords:

• leisure
• cognitive health
• stroke
• education

Mots clés:

• loisir
• santé cognitive
• accident vasculaire cérébral
• éducation

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank those who participated in the study, which was carried out with financial support from the Quebec Network for Research on Aging – Social Interaction and Social Support thematic group, and the Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation and Social Integration.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.