Recreation and Leisure Time Usage among Retirees: A Comparative Analysis Between 2016 and 2024.

Abstract

The aim of the research is to better understand the lifestyle and leisure activities of retired people, and to process the results in aggregate. Somewhat surprisingly, the well-being and quality of life of pensioners improved significantly - along the measured indicators, among those surveyed - compared to the previous data measured 8 years earlier. Previous research has shown that active leisure activities can have many benefits, such as improving health and building social relationships. However, many older people lack external or internal motivation to maintain physical activity, hobbies or social relationships, which can affect their well-being and life satisfaction. During our previous research, we identified six main topics that are key to understanding the leisure time of the elderly, and based on this, we conducted a repeat research in 2024 to assess the activities of pensioners. In doing so, the examination of activity, living conditions, health, motivation, daily tasks and other factors proved to be important. Today's respondents exercise regularly, are actively involved in intellectual activities, and more and more are using technological tools to organize social relationships and leisure activities. We have quantified the changes, which show the preferences of the elderly in various activities over the past period.