Hobbies in the

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Running Head: Hobbies in the Elderly

Hobbies and Good Health for the Elderly

Kyle C. Hoffmann
Glen Allen High School
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Abstract

This review examines how the elderly can maintain good health through hobbies.

With the Baby Boomer generation starting to grey and in an America where advanced

medical technology allows lifespans to lengthen, "senior citizens" are a class of people

that are growing and hardly going anywhere. Everyone becomes old, but to make the

most out of old age one must maintain a level of social, mental, and physical fitness that

will keep them feeling young. Here this review looks into how engaging in hobbies

provides the elderly with social, mental, and physical fitness. The first part of the review

will discuss the social and mental benefits of hobbies for the elderly, where researchers

found many measures that indicate how cognitive performance is enhanced through

hobbies most notably a reduced risk of dementia and Alzheimers. Secondly, research

findings on the benefits of physical exercise will be examined, and specific hobbies that

improve physical fitness will be discussed. Finally, research will be discussed that looks

into what motivates the elderly to partake in hobbies as well as what keeps them from

doing so.

Introduction

Americas elderly represents a large portion of the population, and just about everyone

has a relative that falls into the category of senior citizen. As a large segment of the population

approaches old age, their mental and physical capabilities naturally decline over time. Many old

people are searching for a way to slow this decline, and fortunately there is a natural efficient

way to do so hobbies. Hobbies and an active use of leisure time are the best ways to engage

the elderly in an active lifestyle that will keep them physically and mentally fit.
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How Hobbies Help the Mind

Numerous studies have pointed to a conclusion that engaging in mentally stimulating

hobbies produces quantifiable improvements in mental capacity. A couple of studies noted

improvements in critical thinking and problem solving skills. Many others though observed that

a benefit of mentally-stimulating hobbies is their ability to stave off the onset of Alzheimers

disease and dementia in the elderly.

A study on social participations effect on a phenomenon known as perceptual speed

found that the more elderly socially engage with others, the slower their perceptual speed

declines (Lovden, Ghisletta, et al., 2005). Perceptual speed is how quickly one can react to

patterns, pictures and such as they are being processed in the mind. An area of life where

perceptual speed is needed is driving, and by extension as the elderly engage socially they would

be able to drive better and keep our roads safe. Now not only can elderly participation in

hobbies benefit them, but can keep our roads safer as the elderly can slow the decline of their

perceptual speed.

One study noted that individuals participating at least twice a week in a leisure-time

physical activity had 50% lower odds of dementia compared with sedentary persons (Rovio,

Kareholt et al., 2005). Families of elderly individuals know that dementia is an ever-present risk

and engaging in leisure activities will help keep dementia at bay. The study also observed a

decreased risk of Alzheimers disease among elderly individuals who live an active lifestyle.

Both studies support my thesis that the most effective vehicle for keeping one healthy is

through hobbies and the use of leisure time to keep one mentally active.

How Hobbies Help the Body

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Some studies have given examples of productive hobbies that can improve one's body

composition. While studies in the previous section have linked physically active hobbies like

dancing or golf to mental and social benefits, the following provide examples of how one's body

can function better with a hobby. A study of elderly students of Tai Chi produced interesting

results regarding this phenomenon. Researchers observe ninety men and ninety women who

practice Tai Chi and do resistance training as part of their workout routine and measured changes

in their bone mineral density. While in men they could not find a correlation, they discovered

that compared to the average elderly women, women who practiced Tai Chi lost bone mineral

density at a lower rate (Wong, Hoo, et al., 2007). Physical activity in the elderly can stave off the

process of ones bones becoming brittle, but the physical benefits of a physically stimulating

hobby take a back seat to the much more important issues of mental health and preventing the

onset of degenerative diseases in the brain.

Participation Rate of Hobbies in the Elderly

While the elderly feeling young at heart by engaging their minds and bodies in fun

hobbies will lengthen the lifespan of Americas senior citizens and will keep them sharp and in

shape, a struggle exists in getting the elderly out and actually participating.

One study observed a peculiar catch-22 in hobby participation in the elderly. They

observed that 80% of individuals they profiled participated in hobbies for health promotion

(Hirvensalo, Laminen, et al., 1998). However, the most widely reported reason for

nonparticipation was poor health. The issue in encouraging the elderly to participate in hobbies

is that the elderly must reach a certain point in healthiness before they find a hobby to keep their

health up. Whether this barrier to participation is merely in the minds of the individuals profiled,
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or if these individuals are really physically unable to partake in hobbies the study does not

specify.

Another study measured the rate of change in the elderly populations participation in

hobbies over time. They found that in Canada the proportion of people over 65 enjoying

physical activity regularly rose from 50% to 64% between 1976 and 1981 (Losier, Bourque,

et al., 1993). Despite the fact that this study was not conducted in the United States, it provides a

picture of the shape of things to come for elderly leisure participation in the US. Canada is

farther ahead in life expectancy than our country, and as such the trends in elderly leisure

participation they experienced years ago took longer to occur in the United States.

Conclusion

These studies have illustrated the link between hobbies and physical and mental fitness.

They observed that ones decline in perceptual speed can be slowed by social engagement and

that onset of dementia and Alzheimers can be staved off. Bone mineral density can also be

improved by engaging in hobbies. Lastly, participation is increasing by and large in the elderly

but that many are disinclined to participate because of poor health. Hobbies are an effective way

for keeping the elderly feeling young at heart.

References
Hirvensalo, M., Lampinen, P., & Rantanen, T. (1998). Physical exercise in old age: An eight-

year follow-up study on involvement, motives, and obstacles among persons age 65-

84. Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, 6(2), 157-168.

Losier, G. F., Bourque, P. E., & Vallerand, R. J. (1993). A motivational model of leisure
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participation in the elderly. The Journal of psychology, 127(2), 153-170.

Lvdn, M., Ghisletta, P., & Lindenberger, U. (2005). Social participation attenuates decline in

perceptual speed in old and very old age. Psychology and aging, 20(3), 423.

Rovio, S., Kreholt, I., Helkala, E. L., Viitanen, M., Winblad, B., Tuomilehto, J., ... & Kivipelto,

M. (2005). Leisure-time physical activity at midlife and the risk of dementia and

Alzheimer's disease. The Lancet Neurology, 4(11), 705-711. Chicago

Woo, J., Hong, A., Lau, E., & Lynn, H. (2007). A randomised controlled trial of Tai Chi and

resistance exercise on bone health, muscle strength and balance in community-living

elderly people. Age and ageing, 36(3), 262-268.