The effectiveness of leisure education programs for the elderly: A systematic review
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Luciana Pereira de Moura Carneiro [1] ; Aurora Madariaga Ortuzar [2] ; Maria Begoña García Zapirain [2] ; Uvinha, Ricardo Ricci [1]
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[1] Universidade Federal de São Paulo
Universidade Federal de São Paulo
Brasil
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[2] Universidad de Deusto
Universidad de Deusto
Bilbao, España
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- Localización: Leisure and human development: Navigating socio-cultural landscapes / coord. por Lorena Ronda González, Garazi Azanza, Alazne Mujika Alberdi, 2025, ISBN 9783031907777, págs. 57-72
- Idioma: inglés
- Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
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Resumen
The world is rapidly aging, raising the critical question of how to add life to years. Participation in meaningful leisure activities is a key predictor of successful aging and well-being, yet many older adults lack leisure literacy, limiting their ability to engage with existing opportunities. While Leisure Education Programs (LEP) have been developed to address this gap, their effectiveness remains underexplored. This systematic review (SR) assesses evidence on the effectiveness of LEP for adults aged 55 and older. A search of four databases—EBSCOhost, Web of Science, Scopus, and ProQuest—yielded 305 articles, of which 21 met inclusion criteria. Most studies were from North America, with a focus on “Therapeutic Recreation” and “Leisure and Recreation,” and 53% addressing these themes. Limited international collaboration was noted. The review identified eight themes showing benefits for participants: Leisure Competence, Leisure Knowledge, Perceived Leisure Control, Leisure Satisfaction, Leisure Autonomy, Leisure Boredom, Stress, and Life Satisfaction. Limitations include the small sample sizes and a focus on high-income countries. Despite these constraints, strong evidence supports the effectiveness of LEP for older adults. The findings offer both theoretical and practical insights into advancing leisure education for this population.