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ABSTRACT
The relationships between social and physical activities in older adulthood deserve further attention. This study explores the relationship of social leisure activity (SLA) and the psychological construct, valuation of life (VOL), to physical activity among the young, middle, and oldest old. Significant differences and relationships were observed. Oldest old showed significant drops in ability and activity, both physical and leisure activity. VOL is connected to SLA and physical activities specific to improving flexibility. The study findings suggest SLA and VOL are important points of leverage for helping older adults forestall decreases in physical activity, especially for the oldest old.
Notes
1. This study did not specifically use this research lens to avoid narrowing the foci and interpretations of the study data, but interested readers are encouraged to look at scholarly work by Baltes and Baltes (Citation1990); Baltes and Smith (Citation2003); Depp and Jeste (Citation2009); and, Lee, Kahana, and Kahana (Citation2017).
2. Gender differences are investigated in this study, but they are not this study’s primary focus. Future studies will benefit from further exploring the nuances of gender in aging as it relates to social leisure activity, physical activity, and successful aging. This study may provide some insights as part of a larger compendium of other studies.
3. Contrarily, Morley (Citation1997) noted the linear decrease in food intake as we age, which comes with its own pitfalls (e.g., protein-energy malnutrition). Additionally, survival bias must also be considered, because persons of higher BMI and abdominal circumference tend to have higher mortality rates at ages that are younger than their less obese peers (e.g., Manson et al., Citation1995).