What makes older adults feel good?

Background and aimTo inform health promotion interventions, there is a need for large studies focusing specifically on what makes older adults feel good, from their own perspective. The aim was to explore older adults' views of what makes them feel good in relation to their different characteristics.MethodsA qualitative and quantitative study design was used. Independently living people (n = 1212, mean age 78.85) answered the open-ended question, 'What makes you feel good?' during preventive home visits. Following inductive and summative content analysis, data was deductively sorted, based on The Canadian model of occupational performance and engagement, into the categories leisure, productivity, and self-care. Group comparisons were made between: men/women; having a partner/being single; and those with bad/good subjective health.ResultsIn total, 3117 notes were reported about what makes older adults feel good. Leisure activities were the most frequently reported (2501 times), for example social participation, physical activities, and cultural activities. Thereafter, productivity activities (565 times) such as gardening activities and activities in relation to one's home were most frequently reported. Activities relating to self-care (51 times) were seldom reported. There were significant differences between men and women, having a partner and being single, and those in bad and good health, as regards the activities they reported as making them feel good.Discussion and conclusionsTo enable older adults to feel good, health promotion interventions can create opportunities for social participation and physical activities which suit older adults' needs. Such interventions should be adapted to different groups.

Automated summary

This study aimed to explore older adults' views on what makes them feel good. Through qualitative and quantitative research design, it was found that leisure activities were most frequently mentioned, followed by productivity activities, and self-care activities were seldom reported. There were significant differences in the activities reported as making them feel good based on gender, marital status, and health status.