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Using Travel Diaries to Examine the Extent to Which Older Adult Centres Are a Focal Point for Recreation and Social Activities

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 July 2023

Christine L. Sheppard Open the ORCID record for Christine L. Sheppard [Opens in a new window] ,
Anita M. Myers  and
Sue Hesjedahl
Christine L. Sheppard*
Affiliation:
School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
Anita M. Myers
Affiliation:
School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
Sue Hesjedahl
Affiliation:
Older Adult Centres’ Association of Ontario, Caledon, ON, Canada
*
Corresponding author: La correspondance et les demandes de tirés-à-part doivent être adressées à : / Correspondence and requests for offprints should be sent to: Christine Sheppard, School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1 (Christine.Sheppard@UWaterloo.ca)
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Abstract

This study aimed to better understand the extent to which older adult centres are a focal point for recreation and social activities for their members. Travel diaries completed by 261 members of 12 older adult centres across Ontario provided comprehensive and real-time (24-hour) data over two consecutive weeks concerning time away from home, trip purposes, and modes of travel. The data showed that nearly one-third of their trips included a stop at their older adult centre. Three-quarters also went to other community venues over the study period, possibly to access amenities (e.g., pools) not available at their centre. Notwithstanding, their local older adult centre was still a focal point in out-of-home travel, particularly for potentially more vulnerable older adults, including those who were non-drivers, had less education, and felt lonelier. The diaries also substantiated the importance of time spent socializing with peers and staff at the centre, apart from formal program participation.

Résumé

Résumé

Cette étude visait à mieux cerner dans quelle mesure les centres pour personnes âgées sont un point central d’activités sociales et récréatives pour leurs membres. Des journaux de déplacements remplis par 261 membres de 12 centres pour personnes âgées situés partout en Ontario ont permis de recueillir des données complètes « en temps réel » (sur 24 heures) au cours de deux semaines consécutives concernant le temps passé hors de chez eux, les destinations de leurs déplacements et les moyens de transport utilisés. Les données ont montré que près d’un tiers de leurs trajets comprenaient un arrêt à leur centre pour personnes âgées. Les trois-quarts des participants se sont aussi rendus à d’autres lieux communautaires au cours de la période de l’étude, notamment pour avoir accès à des aménagements non disponibles dans leur centre (p. ex., une piscine). Quoiqu’il en soit, leur centre pour personnes âgées était encore le point central de leurs déplacements hors de chez eux, en particulier pour les personnes plus vulnérables, y compris celles qui ne conduisaient pas, qui avaient moins d’années d’études et qui se sentaient plus seules. Les journaux ont aussi souligné l’importance du temps passé à socialiser avec les membres et le personnel du centre, outre la participation à des programmes organisés.

Keywords

agingolder adultsolder adult centresrecreationsenior centresvieillissementpersonnes âgéescentres pour personnes âgéesloisirs
Type
Article
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 42 , Issue 3 , September 2023 , pp. 495 - 505
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Copyright
© Canadian Association on Gerontology 2023

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