NEW PERSPECTIVES ON LEISURE AND WORK IN MID AND LATER LIFE

摘要

Leisure and work in old aging plays a key role in shaping individuals’ health and well-being. However, existing literature on older adults’ employment and leisure life overlook complex dynamics and interplays of leisure and work from mid to later life. The purpose of this symposium is to provide new perspectives on the dynamics and determinants of leisure and work of US older adults. The symposium currently has two papers that provide a better understanding of the employment and leisure of U.S. older adults. The first paper, by Moen and Flood, provides an innovative approach to investigate the transition in and out of work. The paper uses 10 years of data from CPS to identify the short-term continuities and changes of older adults’ employment patterns. This paper reveals short-term variation in employment that cannot be investigated by using traditional survey data, which often collect data annually or biannually. The second paper, by Chen, provides a new perspective in understanding the leisure life of older adults. In addition to own education, Chen’s paper argues that spousal education should play a key role in determining heathy lifestyles in old age. By using data from American Time Use Survey, the paper shows a gendered pattern of spousal education on healthy time use. Women are more likely to be affected by their husbands’ education whereas men are less likely to be affected by their wives’ education. Together, these two papers, by innovative use of data, shed new lights on leisure and work in old age.