Reconstructing leisure in adapting to chronic illness in later life: Emotional and behavioral strategies

Although the idea of " constraint negotiation " is quite common in the leisure studies literature, relatively little of this work has focused on aging or the strategies used to overcome health-related constraints to leisure activity participation. This article explores how older people with chronic illnesses adapt to constraints to leisure. Semi-structured in-person interviews were conducted with 18 community-dwelling older adults with a variety of chronic conditions. Analysis of narrative data indicated a range of emotional and behavioral responses to constraints. Emotional responses grouped into: (a) allowing for mourning, (b) appreciating what one still has, (c) realizing that things can be worse, (d) welcoming the constraint, and (e) all or nothing. Behavioral reactions included: (a) substitution, (b) compensating to overcome constraints, and (c) seizing opportunities for self-validation in disability-relevant volunteer work and becoming someone " new ". Findings are discussed in terms of the models of constraint negotiation and selective optimization. Findings also indicate that health constraints require a process of ongoing negotiations, which often result in positive changes.