To be happy as well as healthy in old age, be like Beryl Wyld.
An article by ABC journalist Eric Tlozek reported on new research into how leisure, housework, physical and cognitive activities impact an older person’s emotions.
The research group studied the activities of Australians aged over 84 years and then asked how the participants felt, and how their activities affected their ‘emotional experiences’.
"What we found was that meaningful activities, those things that had a greater sense of personal meaning for the study were also associated with better quality of emotion," says lead author Associate Professor Tim Windsor from Flinders University.
Beryl Wyld, a 93-year old Salvation Army volunteer is a case-in-point. Ms Wyld has been involved with the Salvation Army for the last 50 years. She has continued to enjoy her work at a local Salvos Store for such a long tenure, due to the fact that she has been specifically able to tailor her work to match her capabilities, a key factor in her long-lasting enjoyment.
“I like to meet people, I like to greet people … it's no good staying in the house on your own, you can get bored stiff,” says Beryl.
"I get a lot of pleasure and company and happiness."
The research group used data from a long-term study of ageing Australians, the Australian Daily Life Time-Sampling module of the Australian Longitudinal Study of Ageing. They included things like exercise, housework, reading and volunteering, and found that the activities that produced the most positive emotions in participants were those activities that were thought of as ‘important’.
For example, social sport, like the bi-weekly table tennis sessions at the Blackwood Baptist Church, was among the activities that produced positive emotional experiences for older people.
"It's enjoyable, especially when you don't take it seriously," says 81-year-old player, Moira Newman.
"I think it's good for the whole soul and spirit."
Interestingly, the research group found that activities that were ‘too challenging’ however, had the opposite effect and produced negative emotions.
"That's not to say that we should be avoiding challenging activities altogether as we get older, but we just need to find that right balance so that we're doing enough to stay engaged, activities that allow us to stay physically active but just not to a point where it's going to overburden us and create problems," says Associate Professor Windsor.
The researchers said the increasing lifespans of people around the world, especially in Australia, made their findings important.
"People recognise emotional wellbeing as being really central to wellbeing in general,” says Associate Professor Windsor.
Read the full article from ABC News:
Research on ageing finds meaningful activities are the key to keeping healthy and happy - ABC News
October 13, 2021
Home Care Services, Healthcare, Volunteers
Catholic Healthcare’s Volunteer Phone Call Service provides additional support for Home Care clients who are experiencing social isolation. The complimentary service has now been expanded into regional New South Wales and south-east Queensland, after operating successfully in Sydney for 12 years.
July 8, 2021
Healthcare, CHL
The ‘Lavender Legends of Lourdes’ were featured today in a Dubbo Photo News article. The article features the impressive work of the Lavender Legends - a group of volunteers who help out at Lourdes Hospital & Community Health Service in Dubbo. For the last five years, these ladies have been making a vital difference in patients’ lives through their volunteering.
