Time use of the elderly: a practical application of time budgets in a South African setting
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21504/sajg.v3i1.32Abstract
Time-budget methodology, which affords unique insights into daily life events, has had only limited application among elderly subpopulations and in developing countries to date. Efforts under way to fill this gap can draw on a practical guideline to time-use data collection based on over 30 years of research experience in the field. This article outlines major recommendations in the guideline of Harvey (1993h). it also reports a practical application of the time-use method among elderly residents of KwaMashu, a black township near Durban. The pilot study with 50 subjects conducted by the second author yielded insights into the weekday time use of members and non-members of senior service centres. The findings suggest that senior centres play an important positive role in the daily lives of members. Drawing on the practical research experience gained in the pilot study, recommendations are made to further improve the quality of time-use data collected in the local setting.References
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Altergott, K. (Ed.) 1988. Daily life in later life. Newbury Park. CA: Sage.
Altergott, K. 1990. Age, gender and daily life: an analysis of social involvements, Social Indicators Research. 23(4): 367-80.
Clark, S.M., Harvey, A.S. & Shaw, S.M. 1990. Time use and leisure: subjective and objective aspects. Social Indicators Research, 23(4): 337- 52.
Elcardus, M. 1990. Rationality and the specialisation of meaning: sociological and utilitarian approaches of the allocation of time. Unpublished paper presented at the XII World Congress of Sociology. Madrid.
Harvey, A.S. 1990. Time use studies for leisure analysis. Social Indicators Research. 23(4): 309-36.
Harvey. A.S. 1993a. Time-use studies: a tool for macro and micro economic and social analysis. Social Indicators Research. 30(2-3): iii-vii.
Harvey, A.S. 1993b. Guidelines for time use data collection. Social Indicators Research, 30(2-3): 197-228.
Lawton, M.P., Moss, M. & Fulcomer, M. 1986/87. Objective and subjective uses of time by older people. International Journal of Aging and Human Development. 24(3): 17 1-88.
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McCallum, K. 1991. Designing a questionnaire for gerontological research among black elderly in South Africa. B.A. (Hons.) dissertation. Pietermaritzburg: Department of Sociology. University of Natal.
Møller, V. 1992. Spare time use and perceived well-being among black South African youth. Social Indicators Research, 26(4): 309-51.
Shaw, M.S. 1985. The meaning of leisure in everyday life. Leisure Sciences, 7(1 ): 1-24.
Møller, V. 1993. Where South African township youth spend their leisure time: social policy implications of activity settings. In: Instituto Nazionale di Statistica. Time use methodology: toward consensus. Rome, pp. 93-102.
Møller, V. 1994. lntergenerational relations in a society in transition: a South African case study. Ageing and Society, 14. (In press)
Moss, M.S. & Lawton, M.P. 1982. Time budgets of older people: a window on four lifestyles. Journal of Gerontology, 37 (I): 115-23.
Moss, M.S., Lawton. M.P., Kleban, M.H. & Duhamel, L. 1993. Time use of caregivers of impaired elders before and after institutionalization, Journal of Gerontology, 48(3): S 102-11.
Rubinstein, R.L. 1986. The construction of a day by elderly widowers. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 23(3): 161-73.
Saraswathi, L.S. 1989. Practices in identifying (reckoning) measuring and planning time in rural Tamil Nadu, India: implications for adult education. Adult Education and Development, 32: 221-32.
Shaw, M.S. 1985. The meaning of leisure in everyday life. Leisure Sciences, 7(1): 1-24.
Singleton, J.F. 1985. Activity patterns of the elderly. Society and Leisure, 8(2): 805-19.
Singleton, J.F. & Harvey, A.S. 1989. Canadian activity patterns across the life span: a time budget perspective. Canadian Journal on Aging, 8(3): 268-85.
Szalai, A. (Ed.) 1972. The use of time: daily activities of urban and suburban populations in twelve countries. The Hague/Paris: Mouton.
Ujimoto, K. V. 1990. Time-budget methodology for research on aging. Social Indicators Research. 23(4): 381-93.
Young, M. & Schuller. T. 1991. Life after work: the arrival of the ageless society. London: Harper Collins.
Altergott, K. (Ed.) 1988. Daily life in later life. Newbury Park. CA: Sage.
Altergott, K. 1990. Age, gender and daily life: an analysis of social involvements, Social Indicators Research. 23(4): 367-80.
Clark, S.M., Harvey, A.S. & Shaw, S.M. 1990. Time use and leisure: subjective and objective aspects. Social Indicators Research, 23(4): 337- 52.
Elcardus, M. 1990. Rationality and the specialisation of meaning: sociological and utilitarian approaches of the allocation of time. Unpublished paper presented at the XII World Congress of Sociology. Madrid.
Harvey, A.S. 1990. Time use studies for leisure analysis. Social Indicators Research. 23(4): 309-36.
Harvey. A.S. 1993a. Time-use studies: a tool for macro and micro economic and social analysis. Social Indicators Research. 30(2-3): iii-vii.
Harvey, A.S. 1993b. Guidelines for time use data collection. Social Indicators Research, 30(2-3): 197-228.
Lawton, M.P., Moss, M. & Fulcomer, M. 1986/87. Objective and subjective uses of time by older people. International Journal of Aging and Human Development. 24(3): 17 1-88.
Magi, L.M. 1986. Black people's cognitions of natural recreation resources in the Natal north coastal region. Ph.D. thesis. Kwadlangezwa: University of Zululand.
McCallum, K. 1991. Designing a questionnaire for gerontological research among black elderly in South Africa. B.A. (Hons.) dissertation. Pietermaritzburg: Department of Sociology. University of Natal.
Møller, V. 1992. Spare time use and perceived well-being among black South African youth. Social Indicators Research, 26(4): 309-51.
Shaw, M.S. 1985. The meaning of leisure in everyday life. Leisure Sciences, 7(1 ): 1-24.
Møller, V. 1993. Where South African township youth spend their leisure time: social policy implications of activity settings. In: Instituto Nazionale di Statistica. Time use methodology: toward consensus. Rome, pp. 93-102.
Møller, V. 1994. lntergenerational relations in a society in transition: a South African case study. Ageing and Society, 14. (In press)
Moss, M.S. & Lawton, M.P. 1982. Time budgets of older people: a window on four lifestyles. Journal of Gerontology, 37 (I): 115-23.
Moss, M.S., Lawton. M.P., Kleban, M.H. & Duhamel, L. 1993. Time use of caregivers of impaired elders before and after institutionalization, Journal of Gerontology, 48(3): S 102-11.
Rubinstein, R.L. 1986. The construction of a day by elderly widowers. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 23(3): 161-73.
Saraswathi, L.S. 1989. Practices in identifying (reckoning) measuring and planning time in rural Tamil Nadu, India: implications for adult education. Adult Education and Development, 32: 221-32.
Shaw, M.S. 1985. The meaning of leisure in everyday life. Leisure Sciences, 7(1): 1-24.
Singleton, J.F. 1985. Activity patterns of the elderly. Society and Leisure, 8(2): 805-19.
Singleton, J.F. & Harvey, A.S. 1989. Canadian activity patterns across the life span: a time budget perspective. Canadian Journal on Aging, 8(3): 268-85.
Szalai, A. (Ed.) 1972. The use of time: daily activities of urban and suburban populations in twelve countries. The Hague/Paris: Mouton.
Ujimoto, K. V. 1990. Time-budget methodology for research on aging. Social Indicators Research. 23(4): 381-93.
Young, M. & Schuller. T. 1991. Life after work: the arrival of the ageless society. London: Harper Collins.
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1994-04-01
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