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Senior Centres: Who Participates?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2010

Laurel A. Strain
Laurel A. Strain
Affiliation:
University of Manitoba
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Abstract

This article focusses on the likelihood of senior centre participation, the frequency of attendance among participants, changes in use/non-use over a four-year period, and associated characteristics. The data are from a longitudinal study conducted in Winnipeg and eight smaller Manitoba communities, with 1,399 individuals aged 65 and older interviewed in 1991/92 and 956 re-interviewed in 1995. About one in five individuals attended a senior centre in the six months prior to the interview, with a wide range among participants in the number of visits. Only 8 per cent joined a senior centre and 13 per cent ceased their participation over the four years. The influence of socio-demographic characteristics, health status, and social integration varied depending on the measure of participation and according to place of residence. Social factors, such as living arrangement, tended to be more important than health status. Directions for future research are discussed.

Résumé

Cet article porte sur la participation des aîné(e)s aux centres du troisième âge, la fréquence de fréquentation, les changements en matière de participation sur une période de quatre ans et sur les facteurs connexes. Les données proviennent d'une étude longitudinale menée à Winnipeg et dans huit petits centres du Manitoba auprès de 1 399 personnes âgées de 65 ans et plus interviewées en 1991/92 et 956 interviewées de nouveau en 1995. Environ une personne sur cinq avait fréquenté un centre du troisième âge dans les six mois précédant l'interview, la fréquence des visites variant considérablement d'une personne à l'autre. Seulement 8 pour cent des personnes ont adhéré à un centre et 13 pour cent ont mis fin à leur participation pendant la période de quatre ans. L'influence des facteurs socio-démographiques, de l'état de santé et de l'intégration sociale variait selon la mesure de la participation et en fonction du lieu de résidence. Les facteurs sociaux, par exemple les conditions de logement, avaient tendance à être plus importants que l'état de santé. L'article aborde également la question de l'orientation de la recherche à venir dans ce domaine.

Keywords

Senior CentreService UseCommunity-Based ServiceLongitudinalOlder Adults.Centre du troisième âgeutilisation des servicesservices communautaireslongitudinalaîné(e)s.
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 20 , Issue 4 , Hiver/Winter 2001 , pp. 471 - 492
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 2001

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