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Presented at the WRAAA Conference on Independent Living June 10, 2010

Providing Opportunities for Leisure Through Technology Dr. Valeria J. Freysinger, Miami University Dr. Brenda Wiggins, George Mason University Brittany Scott, CTRS, George Mason University Dr. R. Pierre Rodgers, George Mason University David Harris, M.S., Tec4Life.

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Presented at the WRAAA Conference on Independent Living June 10, 2010

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  1. Providing Opportunities for Leisure Through TechnologyDr. Valeria J. Freysinger, Miami UniversityDr. Brenda Wiggins, George Mason UniversityBrittany Scott, CTRS, George Mason UniversityDr. R. Pierre Rodgers, George Mason UniversityDavid Harris, M.S., Tec4Life Presented at the WRAAA Conference on Independent Living June 10, 2010 Embassy Suites, Independence, OH

  2. Overview of Presentation • Setting a context for understanding leisure constraints & communication – and the provision of opportunities for leisure through technology (Val) • Constraints to older adults’ leisure (Brenda & Brittany) • Communication across the age continuum (Pierre) • Providing opportunities for leisure: Technology for and as leisure (Dave)

  3. Setting a Context for Leisure • From a developmental perspective, the “ego conflict” of later life is that of integrity vs. despair (Erikson). • Integrity = a sense of wholeness or completeness that comes with (1) the acceptance of one’s one and only life and all that it has and hasn’t been; (2) creation of a meaningful sense of present and future; and (3) acceptance of the inevitability of one’s mortality. • Despair = a lack of “wholeness” due to a sense of despondency or overwhelming regret about…

  4. What this means for leisure? • Given that older adults are “seeking” to reconcile this ego conflict and come out on the side of integrity as opposed to despair, meaningful leisure may well be a way of creating a sense of engagement with the present and future. • Indeed, research has found that it is the meaningfulness of activities and relationships, not just the fact of having activities and relationships that is most important to well-being in later life.

  5. What this means for the provisionof leisure? • That activity in and of itself is no panacea. • Providers of leisure activities and services should focus on understanding what makes something meaningful to any given individual. • We know that in general, social interaction/integration, enjoyment/pleasure, and a sense of competence and mastery are motivations to participate in leisure. • However, we need to be aware of “over-managing” individuals (Katz – “Busy Bodies”)

  6. Another Developmental View • Kleiber discusses 4 ways that leisure is related to aging/development: • Derivative: leisure is an outcome of development or age-related change (e.g.,….) • Adjustive: leisure is a means of adapting and coping with changes/events be they positive or negative (e.g.,….) • Generative: leisure is a means of/context for growth and learning (e.g.,….) • Maladaptive: leisure is an impediment to/constraint on growth and development (e.g.,….)

  7. Kleiber (cont’d) • Leisure as adjustive: research that Kleiber and others have conducted on negative life events, such as spinal cord injury, has shown that leisure may be adjustive in several ways. It may be a… • Vehicle of Escape… • Vehicle of Restorying… • Vehicle of Reintegration…

  8. Kleiber (cont’d) • Leisure as maladaptive: research indicates that leisure may be an impediment to growth or “positive aging” for several reasons… • Busyness… • Overinvestment… • Prolonged escapism…

  9. Kleiber (cont’d) • The “challenge” of later life is threefold… • To disengage from activities, role, and relationships that are no longer meaningful … • To reengage in those familiar activities that are personally meaningful… • To engage in new opportunities that only just present themselves… • The preference for the familiar is not a matter of being “stuck in your ways” but selective optimization with compensation…

  10. Another View: The Significanceof Health • Eisenhandler’s study of the significance of changes (decrements) in health in later life: • Takes us out of familiar roles, activities, and relationships • Changes our relationship with time (time as a burden, something that “weighs on” us or time passing too quickly, running out of time) • Leads individuals to see themselves as “old”

  11. Eisenhandler (cont’d) • Two requirements of “successful” aging… • Coming to terms with being older and what that means to you and others/society • Facing and responding to changes in health in an adaptive way • A variety of factors may influence the individual’s ability to do either of these…

  12. Conclusion • Given that leisure may be derivative, adjustive, generative, and/or maladaptive… • As well as that leisure might facilitate “successful” aging… • Relates to what Brenda and Brittany have found in their research that they will present next…

  13. Constraints to Recreation Participation In Active Adult Communities Brittany D. Scott, CTRS, Brenda P. Wiggins, Ph.D., R. Pierre Rodgers, Ph.D., Ellen B. Drogin Rodgers, Ph.D. College of Education and Human Development Where Innovation is Tradition

  14. This research explored the recreation preferences and constraints to participation among “active adults” at two different “active living” communities in Northern Virginia. Study Purpose

  15. “Active living” is “ a way of life in which physical, social, mental, emotional and spiritual activities are both valued and integrated into daily living” (Active Living Coalition for Older Adults, 2009). The number of adults who are 55 and older (i.e. the Baby Boomer generation) is on the rise in the United States and many have moved into these "active living" communities (U.S. Census Bureau, 2006). Builders of these communities create accessible settings, but are not always experts on how to lay out passive and active areas, offer flow, and program amenities to meet the interests and needs of residents. Introduction

  16. Study Population: 36 Participants 2 “Active Adult” Communities - Heritage Hunt and Regency at Dominion Valley, Virginia Ages: 57 years old to 80 years old 2 males, 34 females Methodology

  17. Survey Instrument: 4 sections Section 1- Based on Leisure Interest Measure (Burlingame & Blaschko, 2002) Section 2- Constraints to participation Section 3- Time preferences Section 4- Demographic information and self-assessment of current health Methodology

  18. Data Collection: Survey distributed by the Activity Director at Regency at Dominion Valley Survey distributed by Researcher to a women’s choir at Heritage Hunt Methodology

  19. Results Crowded facilities Feeling uncomfortable while participating Not knowing what activities are available Constraints to Participation Requiring pre-registration

  20. Results *Other places noted by 1 or 2 participants included parks, concerts, friends’ houses, area theaters, babysitting, ballrooms, family, golf courses, little theater, movies, museums, plays, and tennis.

  21. Results

  22. Results • Programming Areas: • Outdoor domain • Service domain • Cultural domain • Social domain • Physical domain • Cognitive domain

  23. In the physical domain, schedule physical activities, that are not just competitive, extremely strenuous or too challenging Offer a low to high level of skilled activities in all domains More effective marketing Hire Certified Therapeutic Recreation Therapists (CTRSs) Best Practices

  24. Schedule events throughout the day Incorporate residents’ families Ensure transportation is available Increase outreach and partnering opportunities outside the community Best Practices continued

  25. Measure relationships among the overall health and physical condition, accessibility to clubhouse, outside activities, and respondents’ activity preferences Specify activity preferences under each leisure domain Increase number of study respondents Increase diversity of population (e.g., gender and race) Future Research

  26. Thanks to: Heritage Hunt Gainesville, Virginia Regency at Dominion Valley Haymarket, Virginia

  27. Please contact us!! Brenda Wiggins, Ph.D. bwiggins@gmu.edu Ellen B. Drogin Rodgers, Ph.D. erodger1@gmu.edu Brittany Scott, CTRS bscott5@gmu.edu R. Pierre Rodgers, Ph.D. prodgers@gmu.edu Where Innovation is Tradition

  28. The Tech Advocate David Harris Tec4Life (330) 239-8760

  29. Objectives • Define a “tech advocate” • Talk on the process and experience • Highlight example leisure-promoting devices

  30. Definition • A tech advocate… • “A friendly and personable individual with a desire to enable and encourage another’s learning of modern devices for an improved way of life” • “Empowers individuals to utilize resources of community in becoming familiar with other technological products” • “Gives individuals hope and a voice for an independent ‘aging-in-place’ lifestyle through companionship”

  31. The Process • Initial Consult • Define goals/objectives together, with flexible timeframe in mind • Personal guidance provided in half-hour and one-hour private in-home sessions • Outcomes achieved through defined goals • Enhanced well being of everyone involved!

  32. Disclaimer The following are meant to serve as examples of the array of resources on the market that can be utilized in promoting leisure within the lives of elders and persons with disabilities through the personal opinion of David Harris.

  33. Computers and the Internet • Aside from simple games like solitaire, word processing and email, the possibilities are nearly limitless… • Brain fitness (e.g., Dakim, CogniFit) • Education (e.g., iTunes U, Podcasts) • Interact with media (e.g., CNN iReport, Blogs) • Social networking (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, eons) • Video chatting (e.g., Skype, Google) • Virtual reality games (e.g., Second Life, Webkinz)

  34. Mobile Devices • A mobile phone these days often combines other technologies, such as a camera, GPS, eBook reader, gaming platform all-in-one... • E.g., Apple iPhone Photos property of Apple, Inc.

  35. Mobile Devices • However, separate devices sometimes allow for simpler, and sometimes more cost-effective operation • E.g. Jitterbug phone, Apple iPad/iPod Touch, Nintendo DS, Flip Video Camera • First Street, Inc. (firststreetinc.com) offers many products for who they refer to as “boomers and beyond.”

  36. Active Gaming • The Nintendo Wii may very well be just the beginning of video game systems that not only bridges physical activity with traditional sedentary entertainment, but also the generations. Photo property of ElderGadget.com

  37. Focus on Uniting Generations • Living through Legacies™ • Wadsworth Intergenerational Technology Project Collaborative • Intergenerational Nature Center Initiative (Cleveland, OH)

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