Why don’t older persons attend senior salons? Interviews with older persons living in a rural area of Japan.

Abstract

Objective: Although population aging in Japan is an urgent concern, many older persons are healthy and do not require care. In many areas, “senior salons” have been created to allow older persons to congregate. While positive effects on health are claimed, attendance is low. In this study, we explored the potential reasons for such low attendance.

Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 14 older persons living in a Japanese rural area. Data were analyzed qualitatively.

Results: Three themes in terms of attitudes towards the salons were identified: “I am sufficiently energetic,” “I am busy with other social activities,” and “I do not enjoy emotional connections with other people.”

Conclusion: We also need to consider self-awareness in relation to aging when we consider elderly participation in salons. Furthermore, when examining elderly people’s interactions with others, it is important to consider not only senior salons, but also take into account their overall “social participation,” including hobbies, work, and volunteer activities.