Abstract
Background: Participation in leisure activities, having purpose in life, and spirituality may act to shape individuals' attitudes toward life and life events. Possibly, they may also impact patients' rehabilitation process.
Objectives: To examine the association between participation in leisure activities (prior to the event requiring rehabilitation), having purpose in life, spirituality, and outcomes of geriatric rehabilitation.
Methods: Two hundred adults 65 years and older hospitalized at a large geriatric rehabilitation facility completed the Daily Spiritual Experience Scale, Purpose in Life test, and Leisure Activities Index. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine the effect of participation in leisure activities, having purpose in life, and spirituality, on the outcomes of geriatric rehabilitation ([DELTA] Functional Independence Measure).
Results: Participation in leisure activities was found to be a predictor of geriatric rehabilitation outcomes, although to a lesser extent than the Mini-Mental State Examination score and age. Having purpose in life was found to be associated with rehabilitation outcomes, but not as a predictor; and no association was found between spirituality and rehabilitation outcomes.
Conclusions: Participation in leisure activities may serve as a relatively easy-to-measure predictor of geriatric rehabilitation outcomes.