Temporal Patterns of Daily Occupations among Older Adults in Northern Sweden

Abstract

This study sought to expand knowledge regarding patterns of daily occupations and, specifically, to explore and describe the daily occupations of Swedish people aged over 70 years by investigating sequences, contexts and time-use. A cross-sectional design with a time-geographic approach was used. Open time diaries from 151 participants were collected and analysed using the software VISUAL-TimePAcTS. The results were illustrated as a routine of six pooled intervals during 24-hour sequences. The intervals comprised different lengths of time and each interval was dominated by different occupations. Night was dominated by ‘care for oneself’; morning by ‘house-keeping’ and ‘reflection and recreation’; lunch-time by care for oneself; afternoon by ‘reflection and recreation’; dinner/tea-time by ‘care for oneself’, and evening by ‘reflection and recreation’. The results were also illustrated as characteristic profiles of occupations visualised by the number of participants in each occupation during 24-hour sequences. Occupations were mainly supported by the home environment. Summed time-use showed the highest proportions in ‘care for oneself’ and ‘reflection and recreation’ occupations. To what extent health and well-being experiences of patterns of daily occupations might be related to challenges and fulfilment of basic occupational needs requires further investigation.

Keywords:

• Older adults
• Patterns of daily occupations
• Temporal routines
• Time-geographic method
• Time-use

Acknowledgement

The authors wish to acknowledge Professor Kajsa Ellegård, Department of Thematic Studies, Technology and Social Change, Linköping University, Sweden, for permission to use the VISUAL Time-PAcTS comp.