KEEPING BUSY IN THE GOLDEN YEARS: CLASS AND LEISURE PURSUITS AMONG SINGAPORE CHINESE ELDERLY

Abstract

Recently, there has been growing interest in the dynamics underlying the various leisure activities done by elderly. Given that meaningful leisure participation is crucial to overall well-being, this study attempts to offer a sociological perspective in understanding how class structures seniors’ engagement in productive pursuits, adopting the lenses of theories like habitus theory and the continuity and discontinuity theories. Through conducting qualitative interviews of 10 working-class and 10 middle-class elderly along with field observations, this study seeks to answer the following research question: How does social class influence seniors’ participation in leisure, specifically volunteering and physical exercise, during their non-paid work time and across their life course? Why so? Are there other intervening factors that may also significantly shape later-life leisure patterns, irrespective of class differences? How and why so? It was found that middle-class seniors are more motivated to volunteer and when they do so, they assume leadership roles unlike their working-class counterparts who assume supporting roles as followers. Degree of commitment and the type of task undertaken differ as well. Both groups, however, are equally motivated to do physical exercise, facilitated by Singapore’s well-developed neighbourhood amenities and “active aging” policy. But while working-class seniors take up casual exercise that are more convenient and affordable, middle-class seniors prefer formal and structured exercise which demand greater investment. Lastly, given the conditions of old age and retirement, the middle class choose to maintain their old leisure activities for stability whereas the working class seek change and take up new pursuits.