Purpose and pleasure in late life: Conceptualising older women's participation in art and craft activities

Liddle, JLM; Parkinson, L; Sibbritt, DW

Purpose and pleasure in late life: Conceptualising older women's participation in art and craft activities

Liddle, JLM Parkinson, L Sibbritt, DW

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Journal of Aging Studies, 2013, 27 (4), pp. 330 - 338
Issue Date:: 2013-12-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Liddle, JLM	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Parkinson, L	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Sibbritt, DW https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3561-9447	en_US
dc.date.available	2013-08-07	en_US
dc.date.issued	2013-12-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Journal of Aging Studies, 2013, 27 (4), pp. 330 - 338	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	0890-4065	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/28510
dc.description.abstract	The fourth age, as the last stage of life, represents a final challenge to find personal meaning in the face of changing capacities, illness and disability. Participation in valued activities is important for sustaining interest in life and has been associated with enhanced health and well-being. Art and craft activities are a popular form of participation amongst women in late life with growing international interest in the potential for these types of activities to maintain health and well-being and address problems of social isolation. Drawing on open text comments from 114 women enrolled in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health and in-depth interviews with 23 women all aged in their eighties, this paper explores the nature of older women's participation in art and craft activities and conceptualises links between participation in these activities and health and well-being in late life. Participation in art and craft activities is complex and dynamic, comprising cognitive and physical processes infused with emotion and occurs in the context of social relationships, physical spaces, physical ailments and beliefs about the value of the activities. By participating in art and craft activities, older women find purpose in their lives, contributing to their subjective well-being whilst helping and being appreciated by others. They develop a self view as enabled and as such take on new art and craft challenges, continue to learn and develop as art and craft makers and remain open to new possibilities. © 2013 Elsevier Inc.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Journal of Aging Studies	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.jaging.2013.08.002	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Gerontology	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Humans	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Longitudinal Studies	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Attitude	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Self Concept	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Role	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Health Status	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Leisure Activities	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Art	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Aged, 80 and over	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Female	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Pleasure	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Social Participation	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Creativity	en_US
dc.title	Purpose and pleasure in late life: Conceptualising older women's participation in art and craft activities	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	4	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	27	en_US
utslib.for	1103 Clinical Sciences	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health/Public Health
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CHSP - Health Services and Practice
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.issue	4	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	27	en_US

Abstract:

The fourth age, as the last stage of life, represents a final challenge to find personal meaning in the face of changing capacities, illness and disability. Participation in valued activities is important for sustaining interest in life and has been associated with enhanced health and well-being. Art and craft activities are a popular form of participation amongst women in late life with growing international interest in the potential for these types of activities to maintain health and well-being and address problems of social isolation. Drawing on open text comments from 114 women enrolled in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health and in-depth interviews with 23 women all aged in their eighties, this paper explores the nature of older women's participation in art and craft activities and conceptualises links between participation in these activities and health and well-being in late life. Participation in art and craft activities is complex and dynamic, comprising cognitive and physical processes infused with emotion and occurs in the context of social relationships, physical spaces, physical ailments and beliefs about the value of the activities. By participating in art and craft activities, older women find purpose in their lives, contributing to their subjective well-being whilst helping and being appreciated by others. They develop a self view as enabled and as such take on new art and craft challenges, continue to learn and develop as art and craft makers and remain open to new possibilities. © 2013 Elsevier Inc.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/28510