Impact of Frequency and Type of Activities on Quality of Life in Old Age - Essay Example

?Impact of Frequency and Type of Activities on Quality of Life in Old Age Apart from good physical and emotional health, engagement in activities is one of the determinants of quality of life during the old age (Rowe and Kahn, 1997). Lemon et al (1972) postulated the activity theory where frequent participation in activities is necessary for 'life satisfaction'. During the process of ageing, human beings are more susceptible to emotional disturbances and depression. However, the current study presents the thesis that engaging in interesting activities regularly can help them overcome this challenge. As engagement in activities is a key determinant of quality of life in old age, providing encouragement to the elderly to involve in activities can improve the quality of life during old age. This study therefore discusses the various activities and the frequency of indulgence in these activities, and evaluates the impact on the quality of life in the elderly. In addition, the paper also explores the challenges that the older people face when it comes to participation in activities. Activities for the elderly and frequency of participation The major challenge that old age brings about is the transition from a 'productive' life to a life comparatively devoid of activities. During this phase, if they are supported through a healthy mix of activities, then there would be a remarkable improvement in the quality of life that they lead. Schmeeckle and Bengtson, 1999 feel that if people constantly engage in activities, then they react in a better manner to the 'social, function and cognitive' decline that is associated with old age (Schmeeckle and Bengtson, 1999). In addition, engagement in these activities can contribute not only to better physical conditions, but also to better cognitive functions, improved optimism and lower stress (Wang et al, 2002). A number of researchers have tried to understand the type of activities that can help the elderly. Glass et al (1999) conducted a study to examine how social, physical and productive activity is linked to survivals in old age. The study was conducted in a sample of 2761 people above the age of 65 years. The results showed that social and productive activities prove to be as effective as physical activities in reducing mortality. According to them, involvement in social activities can be very useful in lowering mortality and enhancing emotional health. Another issue that many researchers have been studying in detail is the type of activity that is most helpful for people in old age. Activities can be broadly divided into either leisure or productive activities. While productive activities give a higher level of satisfaction, leisure/health activities provide a higher level of relaxation (Rennemark et al, 2009). Kelly (1993), is of the opinion that elderly people should engage in both types of activities depending on their health conditions. Mence (2003) conducted a 6 year longitudinal research on the relationship between everyday activities and successful ageing. This study revealed that the level of activity could be directly correlated to a higher level of happiness and better life satisfaction. The study also showed that if the individual was more involved in social and productive activities, then happiness, physical and cognitive functions improved and mortality reduced. However, if the individual participated more in solitary activities like hobbies, then only happiness improved. Similarly, participation in sports activities had a direct correlation with life satisfaction. Hence, this research shows that different types of activities have different types of impact on the well-being of the old aged people. Also, it was found out that people who engaged in some level of activities - be it solitary or group, were happier when compared to those who did not indulge in any social activities during the period of 6 years (Mence, 2003). Silvester and Parker (2002), conducted a research on how leisure activities related so the quality of life among the very elderly in Sweden. The research was carried out on a sample of 324 elders and leisure activities were classified into six main groups - culture/entertainment, personal growth, physical, recreational, friendship and formal-group. Across all the activity groups, participation in the activities showed a better quality of life. Also, the oldest participants who were functionally impaired and had lesser contact with family seemed to show a remarkable improvement after participation in the activities. Siegrisht and Wahendorfs research on participation in socially productive activities showed that continuous involvement in them, especially those where the elders got an opportunity to experience some form of reciprocity improved the quality of life in early old age (Siegrisht and Wahendorfs, 2009). Most of the studies related to activities for the elderly focus around the type of activities and there is less comprehensive research on the impact that frequency of these activities have on the individual. The research conducted by Herzog et al (1998) about activities and well-beings during old age, on a sample of 679 adults who were above the age of 65 revealed that the frequency at which elders indulge in leisure activities (such as entertainment, social interactions, club meetings, travel and so on) and productive activities (volunteering, social work, house work like managing groceries, maintenance) has a direct correlation with the physical health and the emotional health. Hence, the frequency of participation in the specific activities and its impact is a topic that provides scope for future research. Challenges that prevent involvement in activities The above research makes it clear that participating in some form of activities, whether they are productive or leisurely provides a good improvement to the quality of life in the elderly population. However, there are certain challenges that prevent them from getting actively involved in these activities. One of the major reasons is ill health which proves to be a restriction to their movements and hence, participation (Baltes and Baltes, 1990). Ill health proves to be a challenge with regard to activities, especially, when it comes to productive activities. However, even during ill health, it is recommended that the elderly engage in some form of activities which do not negatively affect their condition – such as pursing hobbies, attending social gatherings etc. In fact, research has shown that involvement in activity also helps in overcoming the ill health in a better manner (Chipperfield, 1993 ). As mentioned earlier, the challenge that most people face happens after retirement when the individuals suddenly find a void. This leads to lack of motivation and hence, they often choose not to participate in any form of activities because of the general lack of enthusiasm that they phase during the void (Everard, 2000). Therefore, providing assistance and encouragement to them about participating in activities may be necessary. For such individuals, it is recommended that they participate more in productive activities such as social work or volunteering because they can be a good source of motivation. In such cases, the family has to play a good role in encouragement. Also, peer support can be a great motivation factor in helping them get involved in certain activities (Cutler and Hendrick, 1990). Also, Mence and Chipperfield, (1997) feel that many older people are not aware of the advantages of getting involved in the activities. The general stereotype associated with the old age is that of not doing any activity and ‘relaxing’ (Mence and Chipperfiled, 1997). Additionally, many people feel that they have crossed the age group to get involved in social activities and hence, hesitate to participate actively (Litwin, 2000). However, the fact is that leisurely activities can prove to be a great source of relaxation. In such cases, educating them that activities can help them in understanding the importance of activities in day to day life is important. It is necessary that elderly people choose an activity that they feel comfortable participating in. As there are different types of activities such as leisure/entertainment oriented or productivity focussed, they should make the choice based on interest, physical capability and level of involvement required (Laslett, 1991). It is important to ensure that old aged people do not get over involved as it can lead to burn out. Helping the elderly overcome these challenges can lead them to a better life during their old age. Conclusion This researched explained how participation in activities during old age can help in improving the quality of life and happiness. Most of the researches carried out show that there is a remarkable improvement in physical and emotional well-being, life satisfaction, enthusiasm and cognitive well-being of the individual after the involvement in the activities. It was also seen to have an impact on the morality rates. Additionally, participation in activities that had group involvement or productive activities resulted in a higher level of satisfaction, happiness and well-being, where as solitary activities resulted only in higher happiness. Hence, the participation of the elderly in a variety of activities should be encouraged so that they can have a better life during old age. While the frequency of activities has been correlated to increased well-being, there is a lack of significant studies about how frequency in specific activities relates to the quality of life in old age. Conducting further studies on frequency of activities and quality of life can help the people during their old age. References Baltes, P. B., & Baltes, M. M. (1990). Successful aging: Perspectives from the behavioral sciences. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press. Everard, K. M., Lach, H. W., Fisher, E. B., & Baum, M. C. (2000). Relationship of activity and social support to the functional health of older adults. 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