Well-Being Benefits of Keeping Active in Old Age

This article examines the extent to which continued leisure activities might be expected to counter the potentially negative effects that fragility, and aggravation of fragility, can have on well-being, considered in its cognitive and affective aspects. This empirical analysis is partially based on data from the Swilso-o study (Swiss Interdisciplinary Longitudinal Study on the Oldest-Old), a longitudinal survey of a cohort of people over eighty, interviewed first in 1994 then on eight further occasions up to 2004. Two health deterioration trajectories, between two waves of interviews, are observed: onset of fragility and aggravation of fragility. Each of these trajectories is compared with a stable health trajectory, and subdivided according to degree of activity–continuing or declining–over the same timeframe. Three profiles are thus defined: steady health; deteriorating health with continuing activity; and deteriorating health with declining activity. The results show that well-being is considerably lower with the third profile (declining activity) than with the second (continuing activity), where we find a degree of well-being approaching that found with the baseline profile of steady health. This positive effect of continuing activity is important because it is observed for both health trajectories and for both well-being aspects: cognitive and affective. Along with a fine analysis of the mechanisms governing well-being in old age, this study also makes an important contribution to the available literature (mainly in English since the seventies). As well as lining up with authoritative studies in the field, the authors also open fresh research avenues.