There are many health benefits to engaging in leisurely activities. This paper will discus how these activities not only help to maintain physical and social health, but they also give the participant a sense of purpose, and allow them to develop new skills and independence. Leisure activities are important for both those with and without disabilities. Experiences vary from person to person and different leisurely activities are important to different people. Leisure activities such as sports and recreation help to maintain physical health while activities such as theater and crafting help to maintain cognitive and social health. In the article “Impact of Participation in a Theatre Programme on Quality of Life among Older Adults with Chronic Conditions: A Pilot Study,” participants enrolled in a six week acting class (Yuen, Mueller, Mayor & Azuero, 2011). Each acting class began with a warm up, which helped to maintain physical
…show more content…
The activities provide the participants with a sense of purpose. In the article “The Meaning of Craft,” one man completed his late wife’s handicrafts as a way to cope and bring meaning to his life (Pollanen, 2013). It was something that he enjoyed doing and was an outlet for his feelings. Many people who become disabled later in life usually already have a leisure activity that they enjoy participating in, and when they become disabled, they feel as if they have lost all sense of purpose and meaning. For example, Victoria Arlen enjoyed swimming when she was younger, but was paralyzed by a debilitating condition. When she awoke from her coma, she thought that she would never be able to swim again and became very depressed. She felt as if she lost her purpose. Once she realized that she could swim even with her disability, she went on to win medals at the Paralympics. She regained her sense of purpose and meaning through a leisure activity that was important to
The activities provide the participants with a sense of purpose. In the article “The Meaning of Craft,” one man completed his late wife’s handicrafts as a way to cope and bring meaning to his life (Pollanen, 2013). It was something that he enjoyed doing and was an outlet for his feelings. Many people who become disabled later in life usually already have a leisure activity that they enjoy participating in, and when they become disabled, they feel as if they have lost all sense of purpose and meaning. For example, Victoria Arlen enjoyed swimming when she was younger, but was paralyzed by a debilitating condition. When she awoke from her coma, she thought that she would never be able to swim again and became very depressed. She felt as if she lost her purpose. Once she realized that she could swim even with her disability, she went on to win medals at the Paralympics. She regained her sense of purpose and meaning through a leisure activity that was important to