Older women in retirement communities: Perceptions of recreation and leisure

Seven focus groups were conducted to examine leisure perceptions of 44 Anglo women, age 64 and older, living in retirement communities. Participants reported extensive involvement in numerous activities throughout their lives. Their comprehension of recreation and leisure mirrored many of the traditional definitions. Recreation was viewed as refreshment, renewal, and reward for work. Some described feelings of guilt when idle. Others characterized recreation as activity requiring effort. Overall, the women believed that recreation was a positive experience. Leisure was perceived as freedom from purpose and demands. Most also perceived leisure to be activity and positive. The discerning difference between recreation and leisure was that leisure was without rules, structure, or effort. Activity participation was essential to well‐being. Focus groups were found to be useful in facilitating discussion of recreation and leisure with this study group. A composite term, enjoyable activities, shows potential for helping older adults identify and expand their descriptions of recreation and leisure experiences.