Active Ageing in the nursing home. The importance and experienced realization of meaningful leisure and the influence on quality of life

Introduction: Active Ageing (AA) (WHO, 2002) aims to enhance the quality of life (QoL) by focusing on different AA-determinants. Nevertheless its importance, no literature exists on AA in the nursing home (NH). Therefore, a qualitative study was performed to examine what AA could mean in this setting. This study showed that the WHO-determinants were also applicable in the NH to improve residents’ (NHR) QoL. In addition, two extra determinants appeared to be important to realize AA; these are participation and meaningful leisure (ML). Based on these findings, our next research aim was to examine the current AA-status of NH in Flanders, Belgium. Methods: An AA-survey for NHR was developed, encompassing the different AA-determinants. It included 61 statements on the NH operation. Likert-scales were used to examine the experienced reality and experienced importance per item. This reliable survey (Cronbach’s α=0.91) was administered to a representative sample of 383 NHR with no cognitive problems. In addition, the Anamnestic Comparison Self-Assessment (ACSA, range -5/+5) was used to measure the QoL. This abstract will further focus on the AA-results of the ML determinant. Results: The participants’ QoL was positive (ACSA=1,75). In general, NHR felt the ML determinant for 72% as realized in comparison to an importance rate of 84%. With regards to the experienced reality, men scored lower than women (p<0,01), lower educated people were more content than NHR with a university degree (p<0,01); public NH scored higher than profit NH (p<0,01). Regarding the different ML items, 87% of the NHR felt they were systematically invited to participate in the organized ML activities, but for a third of them these activities were insufficient in number (32%), not adjusted to the own wishes (30%) and only 49% thought there was enough variety. Furthermore, 67% of the NHR felt they were occupied meaningfully throughout the day and only 38% could continue their hobbies from home. Discussion: Within our AA-studies, ML is perceived as a distinct and important AA-determinant. Nevertheless the importance of ML for NHR QoL shown in the qualitative and quantitative study, the experienced reality knows some existing lacks, including a varied activity program, adjusted to the wishes of the NHR and providing the possibility to continue ones hobbies. Further research could explore if focusing on these aspects as NH could improve further the QoL of the NHR.