Leisure and COVID-19: reflections on Brazilian older adults who frequent urban public parks

Abstract

This qualitative research analysed how the pandemic caused by COVID-19 influenced the leisure of older adults who frequent urban public parks in a city in southern Brazil. Semi-structured interviews were conducted by telephone with 23 older adults, 16 women and 7 men (≥60 years old), who frequented urban parks before the beginning of the pandemic. The interviews were specifically designed for this research and addressed (a) the participants’ perspectives on the concept of leisure; (b) the influence of COVID-19 on leisure and (c) leisure events and activities during the pandemic. The data was analysed using the content analysis technique. The participants reported that their leisure was affected by COVID-19, mainly due to pandemic-related restrictions which make social, cultural, touristic and physical activities unfeasible and reduced their leisure participation in urban public parks. Furthermore, findings suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic reduced the freedom and autonomy of older adults, and increased inequality, fear and lack of time, resulting in greater leisure constraints. With more time at home and in contact with friends and family, albeit virtually, leisure has been re-defined, denoting different and important configurations for older adults.

Esta pesquisa qualitativa analisou como a pandemia causada pela COVID-19 influenciou o lazer de idosos frequentadores de parques públicos urbanos em uma cidade do sul do Brasil. Entrevistas semiestruturadas foram realizadas por telefone com 23 idosos, 16 mulheres e sete homens (≥60 anos), que frequentavam parques urbanos antes do início da pandemia. As entrevistas foram elaboradas especificamente para esta pesquisa e abordaram: (a) as perspectivas dos participantes sobre o conceito de lazer; (b) a influência da COVID-19 no lazer; e (c) eventos e atividades de lazer durante a pandemia. Os dados foram analisados por meio da técnica de análise de conteúdo. Os participantes relataram que seu lazer foi afetado pela COVID-19, principalmente devido às restrições relacionadas à pandemia que inviabilizam as atividades sociais, culturais, turísticas e físicas e reduzem a participação no lazer em parques públicos urbanos. Além disso, os resultados sugerem que a pandemia da COVID-19 reduziu a liberdade e a autonomia dos idosos e aumentou a desigualdade, o medo e a falta de tempo, resultando em maiores restrições de lazer. Com mais tempo em casa e no contato com amigos e familiares, ainda que virtualmente, o lazer foi redefinido, denotando configurações diferentes e importantes para os idosos.

KEYWORDS:

• Brazil
• constraints
• coronavirus
• leisure
• pandemic

PALAVRAS-CHAVE:

• Brasil
• restrições
• coronavírus
• lazer
• pandemia

Acknowledgment

This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior – Brasil (CAPES) – Finance Code 001.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 The interviews were conducted in Portuguese, and they were analysed in the original language, and then the quotes presented in the findings were translated to English.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by CAPES.