Chapter 9: Leisure and Social and Spiritual Well-Being 9 Leisure and Social and Spiritual Well-Being Paul Heintzman and Erin Patriquin C H A P T E R

Leisure and Social and Spiritual Well-Being: Key Points Social well-being, spiritual well-being, and integrative wellness definitions Aging, leisure, and social well-being Aging, leisure, and spiritual well-being Social well-being and spiritual well-being in the leisure of older adults

Social Well-Being Social integration Social acceptance Social contribution Social actualization Social coherence

Social Integration Feeling that one has something in common with others and the feeling of belonging to one’s community and society

Leisure activities provide older adults with the opportunity for social integration.

Social Acceptance The capacity for trusting others Believing others are capable of kindness and industriousness Holding a favorable view of human nature Feeling comfortable with others

Social Contribution A strong sense of social value Believing that one is a vital member of society and contributes in valuable ways to the world

Social Actualization An understanding that society is continually evolving Being hopeful about the condition and future of society Recognizing society’s potential

Social Coherence Having a concern about the world Having a strong desire to make sense of the world

Spiritual Well-Being: Internal Characteristics Sense of life purpose and ultimate meaning Connectedness with nature, beauty, others Deep concern for and commitment to something greater than self (continued)

Spiritual Well-Being: Internal Characteristics (continued) Sense of wholeness in life Spiritual beliefs, principles, ethics, values Love, joy, peace, hope, and fulfillment

Spiritual activities can double as social activities.

Spiritual Well-Being: External Characteristics Interactions with other people characterized by trust, honesty, integrity, altruism, compassion, and service Regular communion or a personal relationship with a higher power or larger reality that transcends observable physical reality

Spiritual Health A high level of faith, hope, and commitment in relation to a well-defined worldview or belief system that provides a sense of meaning and purpose to existence in general Offers an ethical path to personal fulfilment that includes connectedness with self, others, and a higher power or larger reality

Social and Spiritual Well-Being The connectedness with others element of spiritual well-being is similar to the social integration dimension of social well-being. Interactions with others characterized by altruism, compassion, and service in the description of spiritual well-being is similar to the social contribution dimension of social well-being.

Wellness Elementalistic view—spiritual wellness, as one part of the whole, interrelates, interacts, and must remain in balance with other dimensions if optimal wellness is to be maintained. Integrative view—optimal wellness is also dependent upon spiritual wellness occurring within each of the interrelated and interactive dimensions of wellness.

Figure 9.1 Figure 9.1 Therapeutic recreation outcome model.

Therapeutic Recreation Outcomes Health status Quality of life Functional capacities

Practitioner Recommendations for Improving Social Well-Being Integration of neighborhood public leisure centers with public libraries Integration of neighborhood public leisure centers with senior centers Greater focus on intergenerational programming Provision of space for discussing public issues

Leisure and Spiritual Well-Being Leisure as time and space Balance in life Personal history Human history (continued)

Leisure and Spiritual Well-Being (continued) Attitude of openness Being away Solitude and quiet Connection with others

Figure 9.2 Figure 9.2 Model of leisure and spiritual well- being.

Figure 9.3 Figure 9.3 Leisure-spiritual coping model. (Adapted from the spiritual framework of coping, Gall et al., 2005).

Leisure-Spiritual Coping Model Sacralization and grounding Contemplative leisure Leisure as time and space Being away

Leisure-Spiritual Connections Nature Others Transcendent other

Focus on spiritual process rather than content. Consider integrative rather than just elementalistic wellness. Utilize therapeutic recreation outcomes model and leisure-spiritual coping model. Be aware of negative outcomes. Practitioner Recommendations for Improving Spiritual Well-Being