13. RECREATION, LEISURE-TIME ACTIVITIES AND

ADULT EDUCATION FOR THE AGING1

[From Proceedings of the 1954 Ohio Conference on Problems of the Aging, held at the Ohio State University, March 23-24, under joint sponsorship of the Ohio State University and the Ohio Čitizens Council for Health and Welfare]

IN THE COMMUNITY, IN THEIR OWN HOMES, AND IN INSTITUTIONS

Chairman: Mrs. Henry A. Stair, Alexandria, president, Council of Social Agencies of Columbus and Franklin County.

Resource persons: Dr. Fern Long, supervisor, adult education department, Cleveland Public Library; William J. Mungoons, Maumee, secretary, the senior citizens group, Toledo YMCA; Miss Dorothy Jones, supervisor, city department of recreation, Columbus; Arthur Latham, chairman, Golden Age Club, Akron YMCA; Walter J. Firestone, superintendent, Stark County Home, Canton; Mrs. Clark Prichett, Columbus, chairman of Crest Clubs, Alum Crest Hospital.

Although recreation, leisure-time activities and adult education are desirable for the well-being of all adults, the great majority of persons over 65 are unemployed and, with more leisure time than they have ever had before, it is particularly important that this group find constructive ways of passing the time.

One of America's foremost psychiatrists has said that recreation is an extremely important aid to "growing older gracefully" and that people who stay young despite their years do so because of an active interest that provides satisfaction through participation. If mental and physical deterioration are to be avoided, new interests and new goals must be found.

Purposeful use of leisure time will enable elderly persons to feel that they belong, that they still are a part of the stream of life, that they are wanted and that they still have a role to play in life. It will offer them a chance for the sociability nearly all of them desire by enabling them to mix with others of their own age group. It will afford them friendships and give them a chance to express their personalities and to have a sense of security. It will tend to ease their tensions and relieve their feelings of insecurity. It can offer them a chance for continued service to their communities.

It is extremely important that any semblance of paternalism or charity be avoided in providing any type of recreation, leisure-time activities, or adult education programs for the aging. Most of them have been reasonably independent and self-supporting for many years and they want to continue to feel that way.

By far the most popular form of organized activity for older people in Ohio is that of clubs, popularly referred to as clubs for the golden age or senior citizens groups. Scores of these are sponsored by social

Source: So That You May Stay Alive as Long as You Live: A Digest of Proceedings of the 1954 Ohio Conference on Problems of the Aging, March 23-24, 1954, pp. 23-26.

agencies, churches, public recreation departments, etc. Some are selfsponsored. Their programs vary according to the desires of the members and the imagination of their leaders. Their individual memberships range from just a few persons to more than a thousand. Some limit membership to women or to men; others have members of both sexes. Some are interracial.

In organizing Golden Age clubs, it matters not who sponsors them or where they are or what size the group, just so they function on a democratic basis, with good leadership and with programs sufficiently varied to meet the needs and desires of the members. Clubs in which the members share the responsibility of planning the programs and carrying them out afford members great satisfactions.

The following examples are given to illustrate how two such clubs came into existence and how they operate.

Three years ago a group of social workers in one of Ohio's larger cities became interested in some of the problems of men and women of retirement age in their community. They instituted a series of meetings for discussion of these problems, inviting a number of retired persons to participate. The focal YMCA offered the use of its auditorium as a meeting place for a senior citizens group and thus the project was launched. Cooperation of a local radio station was obtained in presenting a series of weekly broadcasts to publicize activities of the Senior Citizens' Group and the club began to grow. Interest of the members--both men and women-has been sustained. The group has stressed democratic self-governing principles in its operations. Early in 1954 it had a membership of over 150. Average attendance at its weekly meetings from 1:30 to 4:30 every Thursday afternoon is approximately 80.

In another Ohio city a Golden Age Club for men only has been meeting regularly since its organization in 1949. It meets weekly with an average attendance of 101. (It held weekly meetings despite a 6-week bus strike on one occasion.) By coincidence, this group also meets at its local YMCA and has had the interest of the Y leadership since its inception.

This particular club may be unique in Ohio in that it obtains from local industries and business organizations each month their lists of persons retired that month. Members include retired representatives of all segments of the city's population.

Average age of the club members is 73 years. Birthdays have a prominent place in the club's activities. Two big dinner meetings are held annually and the club holds a ladies day meeting each October, perhaps to show that its members are not entirely "girl shy." This club has a piggy bank for contributions from members and obtains from $600 to $700 a year from this source.

Public (tax-supported) recreation departments should serve all the people in their communities. They have not only the challenge to provide recreational opportunities for the aged, but the responsibility of so doing.

A public recreation department should be in a position to (1) organize and give leadership to clubs for older persons in all areas of the city, utilizing other facilities as well as its own; (2) provide a staff member to direct special recreational activities for older persons; (3) take leadership in enlisting the interest and support of public and private organizations in leisure-time programs for older citizens; (4)

conduct training institutes for volunteer leaders of such activities; (5) provide advisory informational and promotional services for groups of older persons.

Communities should provide suitable places where their elderly citizens can feel free to drop in to spend a little while or several hours and these should be open several days a week. Such a place may be a park with benches, a library, a shuffleboard court, or a community center for older people.

Public libraries in a number of Ohio cities have taken leadership in developing special programs for older persons, particularly in the field of adult education. The Cleveland Public Library pioneered in this type of community service. It has an informal adult education program for persons over 60. with an average attendance of 180 persons per week. Films and lectures are featured, the older persons themselves having a vital part in planning the programs. Small groups also are organized on the basis of the special interests of members-music, current affairs, book reviews, experience exchange, etc.

In Cleveland, also, there has been a successful experiment with providing camping opportunities for elderly persons. Sixty persons per week enjoyed camping together for a trial period in 1953, the oldest camper being 90. More persons applied for admission than could be handled.

Hobby shows limited to entries by older persons are another form of activity which have attracted the interest of a large number of "senior citizens" and their relatives and friends in several Ohio cities. One of the challenges which is being explored is that of providing a sales outlet for the aged hobbyist and those who are adept at crafts work, so that they at least will be able to earn pin money by their own efforts.

Providing avenues for the constructive use of leisure time by older persons who are able to go out into the community is not nearly the problem as is providing such opportunities for the aged who are homebound because of chronic illness or the infirmities of old age. Yet, in many ways the latter group needs year-round planned activities even more than the former and larger group.

Wholehearted cooperation of superintendents of institutions for the aged and operators of nursing homes is necessary for the success of any such program; in fact, such persons can go a long way in simulating excellent programs for their ailing residents. It is the interest of the public, however, of individuals and groups in the local community, which in the long run will determine the quality and quantity of these extra curricular programs for the well-being of the afflicted aged.

In only a few Ohio communities, notably in Dayton, are the services of the able-bodied senior citizens utilized in providing programs of leisure-time activities for the homebound aged, yet in every community there are persons of retirement age whose talents and abilities might be so used for their own advantage also. Retired teachers, librarians, county and home demonstration agents and ministers especially have valuable knowledgs and skills to offer.

Only a small percent of the commercial homes for the aged and only a limited number of the county homes can afford the services of occupational therapists out of their current budgets, although such

services are invaluable in the overall program of meeting the leisuretime needs of their residents. A question which remains unanswered is: "How can such specialized services, of such admitted value to these elderly persons, be financed; should it be from tax funds or from voluntary giving?"

County home superintendents most alert to finding ways of keeping up the morale of their residents will keep uppermost in their minds the individual needs of their people. This means trying to find various jobs and regular chores around the place most suitable to particular individuals, so that they may have a feeling of responsibility and pride in their work.

Superintendents as a whole point out, however, that the county home is the victim of much social stigma-that in the minds of many citizens it is "the county poor house." They point out that most county home residents are there simply because they are virtually penniless and have no other place to go. They also state that improvement of physical plant facilities and adequacy of personnel for this type of welfare institution has not kept pace with other types in recent years because of lack of citizen interest.

As an example of what volunteer groups of citizens can do to brighten the lives of aged residents of county homes and hospitals throughout Ohio, the work of the women's committee and the Crest clubs of Franklin County's Alum Crest Hospital near Columbus is cited. It has found that one of the most valuable functions of such auxiliary groups is to serve as a channel of information and interpretation between the institution and the community.

Desiring to do something more than the time-worn giving of a Christmas party for the institution residents, the women's committee accepted the suggestion of the hospital's medical director that it proInote community interest in an active and well-planned program in the area of care and rehabilitation of the aged and chronically ill residents of Alum Crest Hospital. This objective the committee and the Crests are attempting to do by interpreting the hospital's problems to the public, by volunteer services to the staff and patients, and by fund raising for various projects.

Alum Crest Hospital is fortunate in having an occupational therapist and it is in this phase of work that the Crest clubs have been able to render the most service, for it is in such a department that many volunteers are needed. By the organization of Crests-which are groups of 10 or more women who are interested primarily in giving actual service to the patients, the committee has attempted to provide a steady staff of volunteer workers.

One Crest of 60 paid members has "adopted" the hospital's third floor chronically ill and aged men. It plans to have volunteers at the hospital 1 day each week to wash and cut the hair of the patients, sew for them, visit and try to bring new interests and encouragement to the resident-patients.

Another Crest of 25 members will set up a beauty shop on the ground floor of the hospital and furnish regular operators, visit with the patients, write letters for them, and do their sewing.

Volunteer workers sponsor a Christmas gift shop at the hospital where for a period of about 2 weeks the patients have an opportunity to select personally from the all new merchandise a gift for a mem

ber of their family, a nurse, or hospital staff member, or another patient.

Some private and public homes for the aged have been successful in leisure-time programs under which individuals or groups-in some cases young people-have "adopted" individual residents or groups of residents for purposes of bringing them gifts on Christmas, their birthdays, and other special occasions, and in other ways showing them the personal attention which every human desires.

It is desirable to have residents of homes and institutions for the aged participate in community groups and affairs to the fullest extent possible. Toward this end, groups in some cities have furnished volunteers to take some of the residents on shopping tours, on automobile rides, and to special events. The happiness which the elderly residents have derived from such activities can well be imagined.