Ethnic and Class Variations in Promoting Social Activities Among Older Adults

Abstract

Engagement in social activities impacts the health outcomes of older adults, especially as regards mortality and physical and cognitive disability. Participation and its benefits vary by socioeconomic gradient and ethnicity. This research aims to identify activities of interest to diverse older adults and factors that influence participation (barriers, motives, perceived benefits, and role expectations). We conducted five focus groups throughout Baltimore City with nonactive elders stratified by class, gender, and ethnicity. Activities, motives, and barriers varied across groups. Differences may exist in the challenges and facilitators for maintaining socially active lifestyles among different groups of older adults. Common barriers were found across the groups, in particular the absence of adequate transportation and financial resources, as well as health in the form of mobility difficulties. Nuanced differences among the groups described may help target interventions to particular groups as needed and create opportunities for engagement where extrinsic barriers might exist. Findings were disseminated to community partners to improve awareness of social factors in developing health-promoting strategies for active and meaningful roles for older adults.

KEYWORDS:

• social activity
• qualitative research
• ethnicity
• socioeconomic
• barriers
• volunteering

This project was funded by a grant from the Macarthur Network on Socioeconomic Status and Health. A draft of this paper was presented at the 67th Annual Meeting of the Society for Applied Anthropology on the Symposium on Frontiers in Culture, Health, and Aging: Global Insecurity and Local Solutions (organized by Jay Sokolovsky) on March 28, 2007. We'd also like to acknowledge Baltimore City's Commission on Aging and Retirement Education (CARE), in particular Ms. Lisa Veale, and the staff of the local senior centers and housing facilities that provided assistance with recruiting and space to conduct the interviews. Special thanks to colleagues at the Johns Hopkins Center on Aging and Health for their contributions to this project and to Donneth Crooks for her editorial assistance.