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Interests that occupy 86‐year‐old persons living at home: Associations with functional ability, self‐rated health and sociodemographic characteristics
Author(s) -
HäggblomKronlöf Greta,
Sonn Ulla
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
australian occupational therapy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.595
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 1440-1630
pISSN - 0045-0766
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1630.2005.00526.x
Subject(s) - pleasure , activities of daily living , gerontology , psychology , association (psychology) , medicine , psychiatry , neuroscience , psychotherapist
Background and Aims: Interest is generated from the experience of pleasure in occupational behaviour. However, there is little known about the type and amount of interests that occupy very old people. The aims of the present study were to explore the interests of people aged 86 years who are living at home (n = 205) and to study the association between these interests and functional ability, self‐rated health and sociodemographic characteristics. Methods: Participants were interviewed during home visits and data were analysed by using content analysis and statistics. Results: Participants had a broad range of interests. Personal and environmental factors played a part in people giving up their interests. Participants who regarded their health as good or who had no problems in carrying out daily activities had more interests than those with poor health or limited ability to participate in daily activities. Few differences based on gender and sociodemographics were found. Conclusions: Being active (i.e. practising many interests) also means experiencing good health. In the name of occupational justice, it is important to enable elderly persons to pursue interests.