María Dolores Dapía Conde

Leisure Patterns and Needs of the Elderly in Rural Galicia (Spain)

A large percentage of the Galician population is aged and lives in rural environments—parishes, hamlets, and villages. This study employed semistructured interviews and focus groups to obtain a qualitative assessment both of (a) the opinions of the elderly living in rural areas regarding their leisure and recreational habits and the provision facilities in their area; and (b) the views of the social workers and care workers to upgrade these on the basis of the paradigm of active ageing. The results highlight distinctions in the provision of community-based leisure programs as well as in the leisure patterns of the elderly.