Gender Differences in Meaningful Leisure Following Major Later Life Events

Abstract

Using narrative analysis, 20 interviews with older adults in Northern Spain suggested that participants developed leisure involvements that kept them meaningfully engaged, though in different ways according to gender. Their leisure activities resulted from life-long involvement, but also stemmed from later life events—mainly retirement and widowhood—that allowed for change and new engagements. Meaningful activities were those that allowed the development of new skills and interests and reinforced relationships. This study revealed gender differences in the patterns of initiation and continuity of participants' involvement in meaningful leisure. While the women in the study tended to be more innovative after retirement and widowhood, the men tended to continue their participation in their life-long leisure activities. Incorporating a gender perspective was important for identifying the different processes through which older adults develop meaningful leisure.

Keywords:

• Meaningful leisure
• gender
• narrative analysis
• older adults
• life transitions