2016 Volume 38 Issue 1 Pages 32-44
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between leisure activities and cognitive function in community-dwelling older adults. A multi-method analysis was performed with data from 961 people aged 69-71 years. Data comprised free descriptions regarding various leisure activities engaged in per week. There were 4,412 items, which were classified into a final set of 138 and divided into 12 activity categories. We evaluated leisure activities by counting the total number of activities in which older adults participated. Participants’ scores were summed for each category. We used the Japanese version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment MoCA-J to assess cognitive function. Total scores for the “Experiential activities” and “Relaxation” categories were associated with MoCA-J scores. The results suggest that leisure activities may be associated with cognitive function in older adults. Future studies should investigate reappraisal of leisure activity and clarify the relationship between leisure activities and cognitive function.
