The leisure time and the third age: the experience of a geriatric day hospital

Leisure time represents an important part of the so-called 'successful agin g' and contributes to overcome the problems related to the reduction of the social roles, favoring a better subjective adaptation to old age. In this work we observed the elderly population frequenting our Day Hospital, by es timating the affective sphere (geriatric depression scale, GDS), the autosu fficiency (activity of daily living, ADL; and instrumental activity of dail y living, IADL) and the schooling years in correlation with the type and le ngth of leisure time activities during the day. These data have been compar ed with those of the national statistics (ISTAT). The analyses revealed a v ery wide diffusion of the utilization of mass media and a large interindivi dual differentiation of the modes of using leisure time. The correlations b etween the indices of affectivity and autosufficiency show an effect on the types of leisure time activities, while the scholarity of the subjects has no influence on it. These results suggest considering leisure time as an i ndispensable part of the relational life of elderly subjects, having an imp ortant 'valency' for the affective sphere and the individual expectations a nd needs. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.