Free Time in Old Age: Does Health Status Determine the Choice of Leisure Activities in Indonesia?

Abstract

This paper examines which leisure activities appear more attractive to older people, considering health status, disability and demographic-socio-economic and environmental variables. It employed data from Survei Penduduk Antar Sensus (SUPAS), the nationwide survey, conducted in 2015 by Indonesia's national statistical office. The sample selected 228,718 individuals aged 60 years old and above. Leisure activities were differentiated between active, sedentary, and no leisure activities. Health is measured with both health status and disability. Disability measures were adopted from Washington Group Short Set on Functioning-Enhanced (WG-SS Enhanced). Our multinomial regression models confirmed that health status was correlated with the choice of leisure activities in old age. Compared to older persons in good health, those reported in poor health without disruption to daily life were more likely to participate in sedentary or active leisure, but those with disruption to daily life were less likely to do so. Older persons with disability were disadvantaged in participating in either passive or active leisure. However, among all selected variables, employment and source of finance had the highest odds ratios and confounded the relationship between health and leisure activity.