This book analyses leisure choice as a complex concept, made more complicated in later life than at any other time. The author posits that there are many unanswered questions about the new booming generation of healthy, older people, and this book asks what it is really like to be old at the beginning of the 21st century in the United Kingdom, analysing leisure in older people in the context of the subtle politics of the day to day. Throughout the chapters, the author highlights the often missing depictions of older people who enjoy and enact bold, informed agency as part of their everyday lives. Drawing upon secondary data from the Mass Observation Archive, a social thesis of leisure and ageing emerges that challenges the individualism inherent in active ageing. It is proposed that the idea of 'active ageing' creates complex constraints to leisure as people strive to measure up to cultural expectations. The storiesin this book advocate for an appreciation and re-evaluation of passive leisure in later life, and the enjoyment and freedom it can bring.

The project is therefore useful to students and researchers of leisure studies, gerontology and sociology of ageing.

Tania Wiseman is Principal Lecturer in Occupational Therapy at the University of Brighton. Her research interest is in passive leisure in later life, and all the joy it brings.

Autorentext

Tania Wiseman is Principal Lecturer in Occupational Therapy at the University of

Brighton. Her research interest is in passive leisure in later life, and all the joy it

brings.

Klappentext

This book analyses leisure choice as a complex concept, made more complicated in later life than at any other time.  The author posits that there are many unanswered questions about the new booming generation of healthy, older people, and this book asks what it is really like to be old at the beginning of the 21st century in the United Kingdom, analysing leisure in older people in the context of the subtle politics of the day to day.    Throughout the chapters, the author highlights the often missing depictions of older people who enjoy and enact bold, informed agency as part of their everyday lives. Drawing upon secondary data from the Mass Observation Archive, a social thesis of leisure and ageing emerges that challenges the individualism inherent in active ageing.  It is proposed that the idea of 'active ageing' creates complex constraints to leisure as people strive to measure up to cultural expectations.  The stories in this book advocate for an appreciation and re-evaluation of passive leisure in later life, and the enjoyment and freedom it can bring.

 The project is therefore useful to students and researchers of leisure studies, gerontology and sociology of ageing. 

Tania Wiseman is Principal Lecturer in Occupational Therapy at the University of Brighton.  Her research interest is in passive leisure in later life, and all the joy it brings.

Inhalt

Chapter 1 Introduction to a new ageing population

1.1.  New ageing population

1.2.  They do not plan old age, but it happens anyway

1.3.  Good and bad leisure in later life

1.4.  Active ageing

1.5.  Life course perspective

1.6.  References

Chapter 2 Constraints to leisure in a healthy later life

2.1 Development of leisure constraints research 2.2 Leisure constraints in later life research

2.3 Culture in leisure constraints research

2.4 Conclusions

2.5 References

Chapter 3 Methodology and methods.

3.1 Narrative inquiry

3.2 Reflexivity

3.3 Sustainable research methods

3.4 The Mass Observation Archive

3.5 Respecting the genesis of the data

3.6 Strengths and limitations of the Mass Observation Archive in this research

3.7 Ethical considerations

3.8 References

Chapter 4: Selecting participants and analysis of correspondence

4.1 Choosing suitable materials to analyse

4.2 Participant selection

4.3 Introducing the correspondents

4.4 Getting to know them a little better

4.5 Thematic analysis of narrative

4.6 References  

Chapter 5: Leisure in later life themes

5.1 Windows on the world

5.2 No great virtue in all this active ageing

5.3 His lordship goes off to work

5.4 Other old people

5.5 A social thesis of leisure in later life 5.6 References

Chapter 6: Discussion

6.1 The correspondents 6.2 Windows on the world

6.3 A pleasant couple of hours in good company

6.4 Other people's fun

6.5 Reminiscence was a joy

6.6 I was honoured 

6.7 No great virtue in all this active ageing

6.8 Active ageing

6.9 Impact of health promotion on health advice

6.10 Work and leisure 

6.11 Disengagement and active ageing

6.12 References