A Lost Skill Among the Elderly: How to Have Fun

When one thinks of elder law it usually brings to mind nursing homes, finances, age-related diseases, insurance policies, etc. But what about things to do with the often abundant amount of leisure time? Older adults have much more time on their hands for fun - 7½ hours of leisure a day compared with 35-to-44-year-olds, who have only around 4 hours, according to a 2016 study by Merrill Lynch and Age Wave, a consulting firm specializing in age-related issues. Often, 48 hours of the week are spent in front of the television for retired adults because they have lost the skill to simple have fun and enjoy themselves.

The idea of an activity being "fun" depends on the person. It could be involves well thought out plans like traveling to a new locale or a smaller, spontaneous adventure like a sudden pick up game of softball.

Psychologist Elizabeth Skibinski-Bortman, 71, asks each client at their first session: “What do you do for fun?” Many do not have a response at all, while others take a minute to think of an answer. This does not mean they are glum or down, but simply that they have spent the last few decades of their lives working 40 hours a week and playing around always seemed to slip their mind.

Brenda Spradlin, 62, moved to Kentucky to be closer to her only grandchild and now plays pickleball 3 times a week at a local gym with other retirees. She said she did not have time to play and have fun while she was busy raising her children and succeeding at a rewarding career. "Now I do."

See Clare Ansberry, An Overlooked Skill in Aging: How to Have Fun, Wall Street Journal, June 2, 2018.

Special thanks to Jim Hillhouse (Professional Legal Marketing (PLM, Inc.) for bringing this article to my attention.